New World's Order
by Dr. Weird
Summary: Both S.E.E.S. and the Freedom Fighters thought when Nyx and the Iron Queen were finally defeated, they thought it was finally over. A new organization is about to prove them wrong. DEAD WRONG. Archie/Persona 3 X-over. Post 212 / FES.
1. The Deck Twice Shuffled

This is a Archie Sonic the Hedgehog and Persona 3 x-over. In this story, the Main Protagonist will be named his manga name, Minato Arisato.

This story follows the storyline of Persona 3: FES, after "The Answer", or "Episode Aegis".

The storyline takes place after Comic #211, so it's pretty damn recent. It'll also be as realistic to the Archie Comics terminology as humanly possible.

To more-or-less make the date system make sense, I will _not_ be using the Mobius Calendar.

The shadowy organization used in this story belongs to me, however Persona 3 and all of its elements are copyright to Shin Megami Tensei Studios. Sonic the Hedgehog is copyright SEGA, Archie Comics, Sonic Team, etc.

Enjoy.

Chapter 1: The Deck Twice Shuffled

Mobius, New Mobotropolis, August 3, 3237, 23:24 Hours

The overall scene of the circular-walled New Mobotropolis had a… serene look to it from the sky. Most lights were off, but the light of the gibbous moon reflecting itself off the Lake of Rings and lightly-colored stone walkways and other various buildings its soothing nightlife look.

Many Mobians – anthromorphic creatures naturally integrated with human DNA – were asleep, save for a few night dwelling soldiers belonging to the Acorn Royal Family guarding various areas, like the hospital, or the miniature airport…

And especially the New Mobotropolis prison; mostly because of the newly acquired prisoner.

Regina Ferrum, also known to the world of Mobius as the Iron Queen, lay in the lone center cell down the underground hallway.

There used to be several other prisoners – Mammoth Mogul and his crowd – but after a long chain of cloak, dagger and extenuating circumstances, they were able to escape and keep the Freedom Fighters – the lone force of childhood friends (especially the legendary Sonic the Hedgehog) – from being in their reach of recapture.

Now, Regina lay in her cell, all alone.

'_How did it ever come to this…? All those years of suffering, torment, isolation and discrimination… and for what? An incomplete kingdom? My 'king' was a total nitwit and is now God-knows-where thanks to that 'King of the Free People' Monkey Khan, the four Ninja Clans I worked so tirelessly to get under my thumb turned traitor on me – thanks to that chimp that DAMN blue __**RAT**__ – and to make matters worse… my beloved Snively-kins disappeared on me in my hour of dire, DIRE need. And now here I am… laid tattered and broken in an airtight cell of microscopic nanites I can no longer control with my technomagic – thanks that cybernetic… BITCH… 'NICOLE', was it?-, at the mercy of a populous of bloodthirsty, vengeance-hungry animalistic __**freak-shows**__!_'

Regina slowly sat up.

"If only there were some way to get back those damn fools who denied me my iron rule… some way… _some… way…_'

As if on cue, or by some random act of action, she began to hear a voice. Either that or she was beginning to hallucinate.

It was a male singing voice. Almost like… in prayer.

(This song is "Lala's Lullaby" form D. Gray Man, originally from Mozart's "Dies Irae")

"_La-cu-ri-mo-o-sa Di-es il-laaaaa…_"

The Iron Queen's eyes slowly opened wider. Whoever's young voice was singing… was truly talented. It was one of the best singing voices she ever heard!

"_Qua re-sur-get ex FA-…vi-la-aaaaaa…_"

Slowly, a robed figure was descending down the open-door staircase. Slow, agonizingly rhythmic footsteps, one foot in front of the other.

"_Ju-di-can-du-su HO-MO-A re-uuuuuuus…_"

By now, his face had been revealed – he was a young man in his late teens, thin and about 6'1" – 6'2" tall. He wore a black Christian priest robe, with a dark purple neck cuff and rosary. However, there was no cross on it. He however had a rope tied around his waist, with bunny-ear-long loops and strings hanging down his right leg.

His face and hair, however, was a sight to behold. His light brown hair was very short – almost buzz-cut – and flat on the top, with a long tassel of hair precariously draped 30 degrees to the right off the right side his hairline, ending in three split ends.

He had a large eyepatch on his right eye, and a large, dark scar from the corner of his left cheek scratching up near his nose, under his left eye. He slowly opened his left eye to reveal a dim, soulless shade of light brown, his facial expression showing a somber expression.

"_Huic er-go pa-ru-che De-uuuuuuuuuuu-su…_"

He was carrying a small, hand-sized ivory cross in his left hand to his chest. He slowly walked to Regina's cell and knelt to her level on one leg, placing his right hand onto the nanite glass.

"_Pie Je-e-su Do-o-mi-neeeeeeeeeee-eeeeeeeeee._"

What then caught her off guard was that the young man then sighed heavily. "Now that _that's_ out of the way…", he trailed off and backed away from the glass, then pointed a finger at her cell.

His left eye glowed an eerie blue. Slowly, but surely, the glass started breaking apart, much to Regina's surprise.

'_Impossible…! I've been working tirelessly to rip apart these confounded nanites, and he does it with a whisk of a finger? … Who is this man?!_'

The scene did not go unnoticed. For as soon the nanites completely disappeared, the sirens began to sound, alarming not only the guards in the vicinity, but the artificial intelligence life-form running the show.

Out of digital nothingness, the figure of a 4 foot-or-so Mobian lynx with dark brown fur and black hair draping over the right side of her face on an angle appeared.

She was garbed in a purple toga-like cloth, had bare feet with black and brown fur that gave the illusion of toeless shoes, and had strands of hair in a few beaded brands. It was NICOLE in her borrowed from.

"Intruder detected in New Mobotropolis prison. …!! Oh, no! The Iron Queen has somehow esca--!"

She never finished that statement as without even realizing it, the young man had somehow stepped 30 feet from his position and stabbed NICOLE where her stomach would be. She let out a light gasp of shock, her eyes shrunken to the size of peas.

"The _adults_ are talking. Little girls like yourself should not be here at this hour.", he said flatly, his tapestry of hair floating slightly like it was possessed.

NICOLE let out another slight gasp before her hologram disintegrated into many pixels and vanished. The young man turned to the now interested Iron Queen, who was at a loss for words.

"Well don't just sit there like an hapless fool, c'mon!", he said impatiently. "You're getting out of here."

"R-Right.", the Iron Queen stammered before she noticed he threw something large at her, thought she caught it and looked surprised.

It was her staff. "Where did you--??" "Less talking, more moving. That is of course you _want_ to be re-incarcerated."

She meekly nodded and ran up the stairs to the outside, only for the two to be encountered by a few gruff looking guards – some of which were Mobian beavers or bulldogs or sorts, all of which were really tall (for Mobians), and really pissed.

"How the hell did she get _out_?", one guard whispered. "NICOLE must've slipped up or something. Her powers don't work on the nanites anymore, right?", a second guard inquired.

"Well, however she escaped, mates…", came a lone Australian-like accent. The guards formed two small rows to allow a lone Mobain skunk in a high-tech combat suit appeared. His outfit was shades of forest and limestone green, looking like an inflated vest over a long-sleeve shirt and dark green pants. He had several pouches for items and what looked like a knife resting horizontally over his heart in it's sheathe. A crossbow was strapped to the back of his right wrist, locked and loaded. A long black-and-white skunk tail wagged about, it being as long as the figure was tall. He wore a large, high-tech blue Plexiglas visor over his eyes, which were blue, but couldn't be told anyway due to the visor's color. It was partially obscured by his stark-white hair, which shot outward from his 'hairline', and hooked backwards back towards his scalp.

It was the leader of the Republic of Acorn's Secret Service himself – the recently married Geoffrey St. John.

"… she won't be getting' away fo' long. So, Queenie, how'd you do it?"

The Iron Queen face hardened, before the eyepatch-wearing priest boy blocked her with his left arm, the cross lightly gripped in his hand. "She had help, of course, not that _actually_ matters."

Geoffrey raised an shocked eyebrow. "An Overlander?! How'd you get in here?" (In the Archie Comics, humans are sometimes referred to as "Overlanders", especially the mutated four-fingered ones.) The other guards were equally surprised.

The young man merely smirked lightly. "Trade secret, little man. Oh, and by the way, if you call me a lowly Overlander again… _I'll have to kill you_.", his tone slowly becoming venomous.

"What are you…? …! You're a _human_?!", the skunk gasped. "Anyway,… guards! This perpetrator has broken a prisoner out of jail! Capture them!", he signaled the group of 6 or so guards and ran into the fray.

The Iron Queen gripped her staff tightly, but the young priest looked unfazed. He simply tossed the cross into the air, spun around and caught in his right hand.

What shocked the Iron Queen was that upon closer inspection, the cross was actually some kind of handgun. And he was pointing it at himself!

"What the hell are you doing?!", she shrieked. The opposing group was also confused.

"… Per…son…a…", he whispered. He then fired a single shot at his right temple, and reared back as what looked like glass shot out his left. But upon doing so a blue aura erupted from his feet.

The light slowly formed the visage of a female humanoid angel with long bleach-blonde hair, porcelain skin and black angle wings. It wore an open white robe half-covering her breasts and suggestively nude body. 'Her' eyes her heavily bandaged, with both ends of the bandage draped off her neck and down to her legs like a scarf, simply floating in the breeze.

"Grigori… _Morning Star_!!", the boy yelled.

A large ball of light was created out of thin air above the soldiers and St. John, whom had all paled instantly . "Oh shi--!", Geoffrey started before being engulfed by a mighty force of light.

When the smoke cleared, all the soldiers were facedown, battered and bruised. By the time Geoffrey struggled to look up, the Iron Queen and the mysterious priest boy had vanished.

"No…! Damn… it… uuuuuuugh…", Geoffrey stammered before finally losing consciousness.

3 miles outside of New Mobotropolis limits - 23:31 Hours

The Iron Queen was huffing heavily, due to the fact she had just run the most intensely pressured 3 miles of her life.

"Alright… -huff- just –huff- are –huff- you…?", she managed to say before collapsing on all fours and panting harder.

The young man however, looked like he didn't even break a sweat. "I guess I owe you _that_ much…"

The young man stood up, a powerful about him as he stood up. "My name is Lacri. I am a member of The Organization."

"The… excuse me?", Regina asked, confused. "I was ordered to spring you from those swine's custody to offer you… something worth while, shall we say?"

"A proposition, you say?", she asked, interested.

"You posses something we call 'the potential'. We are looking for humans with such power to aid in our noble cause."

"What is this 'potential' you speak of? What 'noble' cause…?"

Lacri smiled weakly; a malevolent smirk. "Come with me, Empress, and you will get the worldly vengeance you so desperately crave. You are…", he began as his smile stretched slightly. "…among friends."

The Iron Queen took Lacri's extended hand and walked off-scene as New Mobotroplois slowly erupted into a state of chaos from the latter woman's escape.

Port Island, Japan, Gekkokan High School Rooftop, May 1, 2010, 15:15 Hours – After School

A group of high school students sat on the benches on the roof of the high school overlooking the large courtyard.

From the far left stood a strawberry blonde-orange haired girl with brown eyes in a pink sweatshirt and a dark blue skirt with a neck corset.

Next to her sat a boy wearing a black school jacket and pants, not buttoned, wearing a blue hat over his buzzcut hair with lazy steel-blue eyes, fiddling the small amount of peach fuzz on his chin.

On the second bench sat a sea-green-blue hair in a black school jacket and blue undershirt sat twiddling her fingers. Opening her eyes, they are revealed to be a grayish-purple.

A final girl with blonde hair with strange headphones clamped to her head in a black school jacket and blouse sat, a sad expression on her face.

Come to think of it, they all had sad faces on.

"Hey… Fuuka…?", the first girl asked out loud, addressing the second girl with green-blue hair. "Yes, Yukari-chan?"

"It's hard to believe it's been 1 month, hasn't it? One month since… that day…", she trailed off, sadness evident in her voice.

"Aw, c'mon Yuka-tan. Cheer up!", the boy jeered in a cheery voice. "Moping around isn't gonna bring him back."

"That's easy for you to say, Junpei. You were able to get over _Chidori's_ death, but… I'm just not that strong-willed a person to get over death. First my father…", she began, slowly tearing up. "…Then…_him_… I keep losing people…"

Junpei sulked slightly. "Yeah…" Fuuka and the third girl lowered their heads.

Finally the blonde girl stood up. "Oh. The others are here.", she trailed in a slightly robotic tone.

Sure enough four figures emerged from behind them. The first was a tall young woman in a white dress shirt and dark blue skirt. Her dark red hair had a part on her right which draped on an angle to cover her left eye. Her right eye revealed that her eyes were a reddish-brown. She looked like a rare combination of strong, intelligent, graceful and beautiful.

To her left was a tall young man – as tall as the redhead and probably just as old – with short silver hair in the shaped of a baby hedgehog's spine hide parting towards the right slightly, a white bandage next to his left eyebrow, matured silver-gray eyes, and wearing a red classy sleeveless vest over a with dress shirt and black string-tie, also wearing skintight black gloves. He was carrying a similar school jacket over his right shoulder. He had a swift boxer build – turns out he is one. A _good_ one.

Finally came a rather interestingly different twosome. One was a short boy, an elementary school-aged student with big brown eyes and sun-kissed light brown hair parted on the left with hooked-shaped spilt ends over his right eye and two over his left wearing a slightly different black school jacket over an orange dress shirt and gray pants came with probably the most odd of the bunch.

This person wasn't a persona at all; he was a small white-and-gray dog. A Shiba Inu to be exact, wearing a light yellow dog shirt with small comical angel wings attached to the sides and a very strange, futuristic large collar around his neck. He had gorgeous red dog eyes, and was panting happily despite the melancholy situation around him. He had a second collar that read "Koromaru".

"Mitsuru-sempai, Akihiko-sempai, Ken-ken, Koro-chan!", Fuuka said happily, clapping her hands together lightly.

"Don't call me sempai, y'know. Me and Mitsuru already graduated.", Akihiko huffed, closing his eyes and sighing in disapproval. Mitsuru giggled lightly.

"Well", she began in a slightly deep voice. "How is it being seniors?"

"Eh, not too bad actually. Get to be basically the alpha students once in a while, I guess.", Junpei jeered, putting his arms behind his head and laughing lightly. Fuuka and Yukari sighed and sweatdropped.

"Ha ha, I know the feeling.", Akihiko admitted.

"It's also hard to believe that Ken-kun is starting middle school. _And_ I heard you skipped a grade!", Yukari said, smiling.

Ken, the young boy, smiled widely. "Two, actually.", he began in a voice that sounded very intelligent for his age. "All thanks to Mitsuru-san's and and Akihiko-san's study sessions last school year." Koromaru barked happily twice, then panted. Ken rubbed the dog's chin lightly with two fingers, who stuck his tongue out in approval. (Awwwwwww~!)

"So _that's_ what you three have been doing most of those nights in February! You were helping Ken-kun study for the middle school evaluation exam.", came from Fuuka.

"Well, Ken here did most of it. He's got a lot of potential for a 12-year old. Wish I had more time to study at that age…", Akihiko sighed.

"_You_, studying more than boxing?", Mitsuru jeered uncharacteristically, laughing lightly. "That'll be the day." "H-_Hey!_", Akihiko shot back.

The whole group, minus Koromaru and the blonde-haired girl with the strange headphones, laughed. Yukari was the first to notice. "What's wrong, Aegis? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, you haven't said a word since we arrived.", Akihiko stated. "Something wrong...?"

"No, it's…", Aegis began in her faintly robotic voice. "…I'm glad that we're able to get together and laugh about 'the good old days', as you put it, but…"

Akihiko's expression became sympathetic. "You're thinking about Minato, aren't you?"

The name 'Minato' was a strike on the heartstrings for Yukari, Aegis and Mitsuru; the latter two looked more hurt, a grimacing look on their faces.

"Even after all we been through… both Nyx and the Abyss of Time… we_ still_ couldn't save him from that fate…", Yukari said sadly, tears slowly forming in her eyes. It was clear she had feelings for this 'Minato'.

"I've never felt so powerless… even after defeating Erebus… I failed in my mission to protect him… as a machine… as a member of S.E.E.S… and… as a friend…", Aegis began to shake slightly as she continued, looking distraught.

"Minato-kun…", Fuuka stammered.

"Minato…", came Junpei.

"Minato…", said Akihiko.

"Minato-sempai…", uttered Ken.

"Minato…", stated Mitsuru.

"-whimper-", whined Koromaru, roughly translated by Aegis as "Minato…"

"Minato…", sighed Aegis.

"M-Minato…", Yukari slowly cried, tears brimming in her eyes.

The sad moment of remembrance continued, but was interrupted by what would soon be a small twist of fate.

Fuuka's head shot up and gasped. "What's wrong, Yamagishi?", Mitsuru asked. "I sense…No, it couldn't be!"

"Couldn't be…", Akihiko pondered before deepening his stance and raising his fists. "You mean a Shadow?! Here?!"

"But that's impossible! The Dark Hour was destroyed! The Shadows can no longer exist in this world!", Mitsuru objected, flailing her left arm once.

"Well, it's not exactly a Shadow's presence… it's… somewhat different.", Fuuka trailed.

"How 'different'…?", Junpei worded carefully, adjusting his hat and arching his eyebrows.

"It… doesn't feel malevolent, I can say that much…", Fuukla trailed off.

"Did everyone bring their Evokers, by any chance?", Mitsuru asked, pulling a small strange-looking silver handgun out of her shirt. (DON'T GET ANY BRIGHT IDEAS, YOU FOOL! MITSURU WILL EXECUTE YOU!)

"You know me.", Akihiko smirked as he raised his.

"Same here.", replied Yukari, holding up hers.

"I never leave the dorm without it.", Ken admitted, revealing his.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't have.", smirked Junpei with his cocky grin, spinning the handgun by its finger loop.

"You know our story.", Aegis replied, referring to herself, Fuuka and Koromaru. Koromaru nodded.

"It's here.", Fuuka tensed. Everyone went tense and eyed the entire roof's edges, cautiously seeking out the Shadow.

Ken gasped. "Over there! By the air vent!" Everyone turned instantly and sunk into defensive stances. They may not have been armed – except possibly Aegis (finger bullets) and Akihiko (his fists) -, but that didn't stop their instincts from kicking in.

Hiding behind one side of the air vent hid a small, all-white Shadow. Actually, upon closer inspection, it looked more like some kind of pint-sized fairy or pixie. It was roughly the size of a baby. It had two backward horn-like appendages shaping its head, and it wore a 'theater smile' mask. It had stubby little legs and arms, which caused it to move awkwardly if it did so.

Despite its cute and pathetic appearance, the group formerly known as S.E.E.S. didn't leave this creature's existence up to chance. Aegis's gloved fingers turned into bullet turrets, while Akihiko began rushing at it with his fists up like the professional boxer he was.

Alarmed, the Shadow leapt from his position to its left about 20 feet and dodged Akihiko's punches.

Because it was not the Dark Hour, they couldn't use any of their Personas as they pleased – a double-edged sword in itself.

Since the Evokers were useless in this situation, S.E.E.S. had resorted to trying to charge the defenseless Shadow.

For the next 90 seconds it ran about, alarmed and scared, as different members tried to double-team it, only for them to crash into each other in a comical fashion.

Fuming, the fallen Yukari shot up angrily. "That's it! This. Thing . Is. _DEAD_!"

If the Shadow could scream, it would, instead it gave a strange gurgled shriek and darted for the exit door.

"Don't let it escape! If anyone else sees that Shadow, it'll be catastrophic!", Mitsuru yelled as she got off all fours and jumped off her heels and ran as if she were a trained assassin.

As the Shadow closed in on the door, the 8 members of S.E.E.s – even Fuuka, who had stood from afar trying to trace its path so she herself could cut it off – attempted to dump-pile the Shadow, but it had successfully closed the door behind it.

The group was sandwiched into the closed door by each other. Had it not been an urgent situation, someone might have laughed.

"Grrrr… oh no, you don't!", Yukari yelled as she hastily opened the door and rushed in.

It was the biggest mistake of the day.

Yukari suddenly saw herself slowly falling over the edge of the doorway into a distorted, rainbow-colored downward tunnel with no way to stop herself.

"Huh?…_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA--"_

Junpei gasped. "Yuka-tan!!", he yelled as she dove after her. However, by doing so, he caused the whole dump-pile to tumble into the distorted tunnel with him. "Junpei, you—_IDIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!_", Akihiko screamed.

The eight members screamed, some more than others. They fell in the order of Yukari, Junpei, Akihiko, Mitsuru, Aegis, Fuuka, Ken then Koromaru.

Ken was spinning like a tire, Koromaru was flailing his legs, Junpei was desperately trying to keep his hat on, Akihiko was clinging onto Mitsuru's legs like a frightened child, the latter whom had a shocked expression on her face, Aegis remained silent but mouth agape, Fuuka's legs were folded as she tried to keep he skirt down, and Yukari looked like she was diving freestyle.

Yukari's scream was by far the loudest. Her eyes were clamped shut as she thought that this was the end. '_Just great! Good going, Yukari! You got everyone into ANOTHER stupid jam! And just when I thought things were finally going to be normal around here… I'm going to die, aren't I…?_'

She slowly opened her eyes, and they shrunk considerably as descending along with the group, by about 10 feet, was a speeding rocket of light, being on eye level with Yukari.

She squinted as if to closely inspect it, and realized there was something inside it.

No… not something…_someONE_! She gasped at this realization, only to behold it slowly shrinking and taking form.

Slowly but surely, it formed a familiar shape, and Yukari's eyes shrunk to the size of peas.

"Could it be…?!"

By now, all the other members of S.E.E.S. saw the light near Yukari, and watched as it slowly shrank to human form. Mitsuru came to a shocking realization.

"It's--!!!"

She never got to finish that sentence as the group was enveloped in a white light shooting upward in a flash.

Mobius, New Mobotropolis, August 3, 3237, 9:05 Hours – Tommy Turtle Memorial Hospital, First Floor Lobby

A black-and-white Mobian cat in a similar suit to Geoffrey St. John's suit sat in the lobby of the high-tech hospital, twiddling her thumbs. "Geoffrey… Please be okay…"

She was snapped out of her thoughts as the glass door to the lobby slid open, causing the cat to turn her head.

In came two figures; one was a blue Mobian hedgehog with bright green eyes, white gloves and weird-looking red running shoes.

Accompanying him was a tan-brown and tan-yellow-furred, blue-eyed chimpmunk-squirrel mixed Mobian girl with a large hooked poof of mangeta-red hair and nothing on both a light blue vest and light blue knee-high hiking boots.

"Sonic! Princess Sally! I'm so glad you made it…!", the cat said, sounding comforted.

"It's fine, Hershey.", Sally remarked, a weak smile on her face, regarding the situation. "How's your husband?"

"Yeah, how is ol' stinkybutt?", Sonic joked. Sally stomped on his foot. "_Sonic_!" "OW! Not the merchandise!", Sonic yelped as he hopped on one foot, holding his other foot in pain. Sally sighed while Hershey stiffed a slight giggle. She then gave a slight frown.

"He's with Doctor Quack at the moment. I'm not _too_ worried, but…" "But…?", both Sonic and Sally inquired, looking at each other, blushing slightly and looking away for a spilt second.

"…It's his story that worries me. About how he and the six guards were hurt in the first place.", Hershey trailed, grabbing her left arm and looking to her left.

"So what'd he say?", Sonic asked, slightly impatient and tapping his injured foot.

"He said… that when he was attacked, there was a flash of bright light that somehow beat them up… but the person who did it…"

"Yeah…?", Sonic asked, leaning in. Sally did the same.

"He was definitely a human. A young boy.", came Hershey, the suited cat's voice full of conviction.

"A human kid?!", Sonic yelled, taken aback. "Are you certain?", Sally asked assertively.

"Geoffrey said it, the guards it… and I think NICOLE witnessed him break the Iron Queen out of the jail."

"NICOLE?", Sally asked out loud. Suddenly digital code started forming next to her, in the form of the same brown-furred lynx from the previous night, her green eyes painted with sorrow.

"Hello, Sally. Yes, it's true. After coming back online from being attacked, he actually broke the nanite glass that kept her--"

"Whoawhaowhao_WHAO_!! Back up!", Sonic shouted, pushing his hands back and forth four times, the last time with the most emphasis. "You mean to tell that the nanite glass – the _very same_ nanite glass that kept _Mammoth Mogul_ of all people under wraps – was broken by a _kid_?!", his voice full of skepticism.

"The footage was never recorded for some reason, but I witnessed him with the Iron Queen _out of her cell_, talking… that was, until he attacked my borrowed form and froze me…", she admitted weakly, imitating what Hershey had done a while ago.

"Oh _maaaaaan…_", Sonic whined as he started rubbing his temples with two fingers each. "And just when me ol' monkey fuzz finally beat her… Oh, man, he's gonna _kill_ me! I can see it now – my ass on a silver platter and my head mounted on his fireplace mantle! I'm_ so __dead_!", he completed, exasperated, his arms expressing his every word.

"Sonic, Ken is the least of our worries! What about Eggman? We don't know where the _hell_ he and Snively disappeared to after the Iron Dominion was finished off! If that _lardo_ finds out someone broke out of our prison _under our noses_, we'll be a laughingstock! Eggman will never let us live it down! Ever!", Sally exclaimed. She started clutching her head and paced back and forth. "I already told my parents, my brother, his wife _and_ the Council of Acorn! They're the only other ones who know of this at the moment and _already_ we're in a state of panic! This even scared _Hamlin_! Hamlin, Sonic! And I'm already concerned about how to break the news to our people, much less the entire world!"

"Y'know, Sal… it's not_ that_ bad…", Sonic pleaded, raising a hand as to try and calm her down. "_Not that bad?!_ Think about it, Sonic! Station Square, the four Ninja Clans, G.U.N., _our enemies_, not to mention our other Freedom Fighters sects…! Catastrophe is too weak of a word for this situation!! _EEEEEEEEEEEEEEERGH_!! We are so DEAD!!", she screamed pacing faster.

"Please, could you not yell in my hospital, Princess?", came an mid-aged voice. The three Mobians turned to the hall to see a yellow Mobian duck wearing a white lab coat over a green sweater and a doctor's mirror and stethoscope walking down holding a cane in one hand. He wore and eyepatch over his left eye, and wearing no pants or shoes.

"Dr. Quack!", Sally said in slight excitement. "I'm sorry… it's just the royal stress talking…"

"Quite all right, my dear.", he said smiling. He then turned to Hershey. "Geoffrey going to be alright. He just needs some bed rest and some daily doses of aspirin."

Hershey sighed in relief. "Thank goodness…" Dr. Quack nodded before turning to Sonic and Sally. "Is Tails up?"

"No, actually, he slept in.", Sonic admitted. "Well, wake him and his dad up. I need to get in contact with his uncle Merlin. This damage is from a magic I have never seen before – I was hoping to see if he could identify it so that I can give the injured soldiers proper treatment – I don't want to risk anything here…"

"I'll send for him shortly, doctor. I just have to--"

She was interrupted by NICOLE's sudden gasp and a city-wide alarm going off; this alone began to wake up the animal citizens.

"NICOLE? What's wrong?", Sally darted. "I sense a special distortion occurring… it's right outside the city!" "_What?!_", Sally yelled. Sonic immediately ran outside, followed by Sally, Hershey and finally, Dr. Quack. They all saw what many awoken citizens roaming the streets had seen.

A small congregation of black clouds in a distorted swirl began crackling with energy, darkening the hue of the slightly overcast sky.

"That's no ordinary thundercloud. NICOLE, contact the remainder of the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix, an tell them to meet me outside the city wall. Then, I want you to analyze that cloud – something tells me it's not a good thing."

"Right.", NICOLE nodded.

7 minutes later…

Sonic the Hedgehog stood his ground outside the entrance to the domed city, arms crossed. With him stood various other Mobians. To his right stood a orange-cream two-tailed fox boy with blue eyes, a blue-eyed tan-brown coyote with blonde wearing a blue, red and yellow French general's jacket, red boots and no pants, a yellow rabbit girl with green eyes, purple mascara, a rolled-up-sleeved tan cowgirl jacket and had a metallic left arm and legs – the latter two was holding hands -, and a petite, green-eyed female pink hedgehog with a red dress, hairband and boots while holding an oversized hammer with white gloved hands.

To his left stood a red echidna with purple eyes, spiked gloves with two finger wholes –a thumb and four-finger hole -, a pink echidna with a tuft of pink and purple hair above cerulean eyes, wearing a green-blue and black open vest and belt holding the former's hand, a black-and-yellow, blue-eyed armadillo with a red shell, a small yellow flying squirrel with a large curved tail and a blue denim vest, a large green, orange-eyed crocodile with a gold chain necklace and bracelets over thick-cuffed whites gloves and large fangs, a purple chameleon with ninja-like arms and leg cuffs with a small horn on his forehead between his yellow eyes, and a pair of two floating pint-sized bees – one a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl wearing a jacket and pink shirt holding a doll, and an orange-eyed boy with a helmet of some kind, with an orange vest and black-cuffed white gloves.

"So, what'd Sally and Nicole say about this clod-thing, Sonic?", came the fox, concerned. "I dunno, Tails." Sonic admitted. "Knuckles and Julie-Su were the last two to see her, maybe they know."

"Sorry, blue.", the girl echidna, Julie-Su sighed. "Not a thing." "Well, by the looks of it, it appears to be a time-space continuum rupture…"

Sonic's eye ridge rose. "And you knew that…_how_?" "Hey! I'm smarter that I look, Sonic! At least I pay attention!", Knuckles barked comically.

"That's enough, Knuckles.", chided the chameleon, Espio. "This is serious."

"Zat eez correct.", the coyote, Antione, replied in a very thick French accent. "We do not know if eet iz an enemy, so we must be on our guard.", he said fiddling with the sword in his sheath. "S'right, Sugah-Twan.", the rabbit, Bunnie, cooed her husband. Antoine smiled.

"Hey! Hey, Saffron!", the excited boy bee jeered. "Yes, Charmy?", the girl bee replied. "What's a space-time continuum?", he asked sheepishly. Saffron sighed.

Sudddenly a loud rupturing noise was heard. Looking up, the group of Mobians relized that the dark cloud was expanding, and small traces of yellow-white began to seep out.

"Something's coming!", the pink hedgehog, Amy, yelped, gripping her hammer tightly. "Everyone, get ready!", Sally yelled from the gate as she ran outside.

Everyone began assuming fighting stances or just stood idly in Charmy's, Saffron's or Ray's case.

In a large crackle of light, eight sharp, violently torrential beams shot on an angle away from the group and the city, colliding with the earth about a fraction of a mile from where they stood.

"Here we go, guys! Let's do it to it!", Sonic jeered and ran ahead, followed by Bunnie – who flew using rockets apparently imbedded into the soles of her robotic feet, Tails –who flew by twirling his tails like a propeller, Ray and Knuckles – who glided in midair, and Amy – who ran rather fast for her age and figure.

"Hey, what's that?!", Tails yelled as he saw a ninth flash of light descend in a different direction, far slower than the first eight; it was like it was in slow-motion compared to the others.

"I'll go after it! You guys deal with the others!", Sonic yelled as he veered into the direction of the slowly descending light, leaving the remainder of the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix to investigate the large crater the impact had been created.

Upon getting there, the group of Mobians saw a group comprised of six human teenagers – four female and two male -, a shorter boy and a small white dog all laid scattered about. Next to all of them save for the sea-green and blonde-haired girls and the dog were a strange-looking handgun.

Tails dove in and landed next to the small boy with light-brown hair. Picking up the handgun loosely gripped in his hand and shuddering – probably from his people's fear of bullet projectiles –, the young fox read aloud the inscription on the side of the gun. "'S.E.E.S.'?"

As some of the others, Sally included, skidded into the crater, Tails approached "I wonder what that is…?" "What what is, Tails?", Sally inquired.

Tails showed Sally the handgun, which in turn caused most of the Mobians to gasp. "Overlanders? With guns?", Knuckles asked edgily.

"No… look.", Espio said as he walked over and picked up the silver-haired boy's black-gloved hand. "Look. Five fingers. They're human."

"So… they're _not_ Overlanders?", Charmy inquired, the young bee confused.

"What's with these handguns…?", Sally said as she toyed with the one in her hand. "They're not loaded. No ammunition in them."

"Really?", Julie-Su asked as she inspected the gun. "…You're right! There's not even a compartment for bullets!"

"_Mon dieu…_", Antoine gawked. "You mean to zay zat these children have guns, but are totally harmless?"

"Maybe we'll ask them when they wake up…", Bunnie surmised in her thick Southern accent.

Finally, one of the children stirred. It was the strawberry-blonde girl in the pink shirt and blouse. She slowly got up and observed her blurry surroundings thorough her hazel eyes.

When she finally focused, she saw about 15 or so animal-like creatures of different colors and species staring right at her. Her eyes shrunk as she screamed as scrambled backwards, grabbing onto her handgun out of instinct. "W-w-w-what the _hell_ is this?! A-animal people on two legs?! And clothes?!", she freaked.

Sally, in an attempt to calm her down slowly approached her, hands up in the air. "Miss, please, calm down. Just what happened here?"

"Holy crap, they talk.", she gawked in shock. "Wait until Junpei sees th--… wait a minute…"

She then looked around to see her friends lying unconscious either on their sides or facedown, all unconscious.

"Junpei…?", she squeaked, looking at the boy with the baseball hat.

Worried she looked to the girl with long red hair and the boy with short silver hair. "Mitsuru-sempai? Akihiko-sempai?"

Getting even more worried, she started looking at the girl with sea-green hair, followed by the girl with blonde hair, then the younger boy with light-brown hair and finally the small silver-white dog. "Fuuka? Aegis? Ken-kun? Koro-chan?"

"They're all unconscious.", Espio said as he carefully turned over the silver-haired boy face-up like he and Vector did the others. "They're all sleeping."

Yukari sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. Oh! Sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"I'm Princess Sally. Sally Acorn.", Sally said as he extended her right hand.

Yukari smiled. "Yukari Takeba.", she said as the girls shook hands. '_Now where have I heard that name before…?_', Yukari and Sally both thought at the same time.

"So, Miss Yukari, how did you guys end up out here, if I may ask…?", the green crocodile asked, comically pulling out a pen and pad of paper. The chameleon sighed. "You'll have to forgive Vector. He's a moron.", Espio said flatly, with a twist of amusement. "That was uncalled for, Espio!", Vector barked.

Yukari giggled. "Well, it was after school and we all gathered up at school to get ready to go to a friend's memorial, until…", she said as she began to trail off. "…A weird Shadow appeared and…", she said as her eyes widened, stood up, and saw the slow light in the sky.

"It's him!", she yelled in shock as she climbed out of the crater and ran towards the falling light.

To her, the light slowly died around the figure to reveal a young boy her age in a black school jacket with dark-blue hair draping over his right eye.

Tears began forming in Yukari's eyes as he ran. '_It's him! It's really him!!'_

Mighty, Ray, Bunnie, Amy, Charmy and Saffron – the ones who didn't dive into the crater – nodded to each other and began to run after her.

Yukari was running at full speed, tears flowing from her eyes. "_MINATOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!_"

Next Time: Two 'Fools' in This World

That's Chapter 1. Please Read and Review! :3


	2. Two 'Fools' In This World

PREVIOUSLY…

* * *

_Finally, one of the children stirred. It was the strawberry-blond girl in the pink shirt and blouse. She slowly got up and observed her blurry surroundings thorough her hazel eyes._

_When she finally focused, she saw about 15 or so animal-like creatures of different colors and species staring right at her. Her eyes shrunk as she screamed as scrambled backwards, grabbing onto her handgun out of instinct. "W-w-w-what the hell is this? A-animal people on two legs? And clothes?", she freaked._

_Sally, in an attempt to calm her down slowly approached her, hands up in the air. "Miss, please, calm down. Just what happened here?"_

"_Holy crap, they talk.", she gawked in shock. "Wait until Junpei sees th-… wait a minute…"_

_She then looked around to see her friends lying unconscious either on their sides or facedown, all unconscious._

"_Junpei…?", she squeaked, looking at the boy with the baseball hat._

_Worried she looked to the girl with long red hair and the boy with short silver hair. "Mitsuru-senpai? Akihiko-senpai?"_

_Getting even more worried, she started looking at the girl with sea-green hair, followed by the girl with blonde hair, then the younger boy with light-brown hair and finally the small silver-white dog. "Fuuka? Aegis? Ken-kun? Koro-chan?"_

"_They're all unconscious.", Espio said as he carefully turned over the silver-haired boy face-up like he and Vector did the others. "They're all sleeping."_

_Yukari sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. Oh! Sorry, I didn't catch your name."_

"_I'm Princess Sally. Sally Acorn.", Sally said as he extended her right hand._

_Yukari smiled. "Yukari Takeba.", she said as the girls shook hands. 'Now where have I heard that name before…?', Yukari and Sally both thought at the same time._

"_So, Miss Yukari, how did you guys end up out here, if I may ask…?", the green crocodile asked, comically pulling out a pen and pad of paper. The chameleon sighed. "You'll have to forgive Vector. He's a moron.", Espio said flatly, with a twist of amusement. "That was uncalled for, Espio!", Vector barked._

_Yukari giggled. "Well, it was after school and we all gathered up at school to get ready to go to a friend's memorial, until…", she said as she began to trail off. "…A weird Shadow appeared and…", she said as her eyes widened, stood up, and saw the slow light in the sky._

"_It's him!", she yelled in shock as she climbed out of the crater and ran towards the falling light._

_To her, the light slowly died around the figure to reveal a young boy her age in a black school jacket with dark-blue hair draping over his right eye._

_Tears began forming in Yukari's eyes as he ran. 'It's him! It's really him!'_

_Mighty, Ray, Bunnie, Amy, Charmy and Saffron – the ones who didn't dive into the crater – nodded to each other and began to run after her._

_Yukari was running at full speed, tears flowing from her eyes. "__**MINATOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**!__"_

_

* * *

_

Chapter 2: Two 'Fools' In This World

* * *

Yukari Takeba couldn't believe her eyes. The scene laying before her was real, and yet some part of her could still not believe it.

Laying in a cratered ditch, hands crossed over his chest as if he were laying in an open casket, lay Minato Arisato himself.

The boy looked as if he were locked into a deep sleep.

"Minato!", Yukari yelped as she slid into the crater, Sally and a few other of the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix soon after.

"Whoa!", Vector yelped. "Another human kid.. Hey, what's wrong with him?"

Yukari frantically patted her hands around his unconscious body, tears falling from her eyes in pure happiness. "It's him…! It's really him!...!", Yukari began, only to spurn a worried face.

"Who is he?", Sonic asked, as he was in fact the first to have arrived. Sally slowly walked over to Yukari. "Miss, is he… alright?"

"-gasp- He's not breathing!" "Oh, boy… I'll get Dr. Quack!", Sonic yelled as he ran off.

"Get 8 stretchers! There's 6 more unconscious in the other crater!", Sally yelled after the blue Mobian. ""Got it!"

"Minato…", Yukari whispered, tears in her eyes. "Don't die on us again…"

Unknown Location, Mobius, August 3, 3237, ?:? Hours

Regina Ferrum and Lacri were walking down a long, dark corridor. Lacri was walking in front of the Iron Queen.

"So where exactly are we heading?", Regina asked warily, tired from all of the walking.

"You shall see soon enough.", Lacri replied calmly. He still had the cross/handgun glued to his hand, pressed on his chest.

After another two minutes of walking they stood before a large set of dark-grey metal doors. Lacri approached the door and tapped it twice with his pointer knuckle.

The doors slowly opened inward, in which the twosome walked inside.

The inside of the room was dark and large vertically. About 20 or so figures stood atop ledges in the room, all various human sizes and bizarre outlines.

"So.", came a gruff, strong voice coming from a bizarrely tall man with what seemed to be a large tuft of hair jutting upwards from the right side of his face, his voice sound somewhat muffled. "_She_ is the Empress candidate."

"_Naaaaaaaaaani_?", came a snide, young voice coming from a shadowed little boy with a strange standing hat. "She doesn't _look_ strong! How can she _possibly_ be a candidate for-"

"Enough!", came a mature, feminine voice, apparently wearing a large, elegant-looking dress and a large X-shaped ornament in her neck-length hair. "If our leader decided to choose her, then she obviously has the potential. Besides…", she trailed. A warm smile graced her face, unknowing to Regina. "…There's not that many women among us to begin with. I welcome her with open arms."

Regina was taken aback by the comment. Lacri smirked lightly. "So… when shall the 'awakening' begin…?"

* * *

New Mobotroplois, Mobius, August 3, 3237, 09:47 Hours

* * *

Yukari's expression did not change while in her joint hospital room with two other Mobians. One was a young golden retriever Mobian with golden-light brown fur and two freckles next to his left eye, and an old snow white owl Mobian. The golden retriever's right leg suspended in midair by a ceiling cast, and the old owl had head bandages.

Both were sleeping. Yukari, however, was not.

After Dr. Quack personally examined her, and turned out to be fine other than being roughed up some from the crash, she was asked to remain in the hospital room until one of the Freedom Fighters came for her to see the others.

Yukari was in deep thought. '_Just what the hell is going on…? First we were all coming together, then that weird Shadow showed up. To make it even weirder, I ended up getting us all transported to a world where walking, talking animals roam the land. Still…'_

Yukari looked up, a weak smile on her face. '_Despite the circumstances, I got to see Minato again… But…_'

Her expression saddened again. '_He wasn't even breathing. I hope they can help him… I feel so powerless…_'

Suddenly, the door to the room opened, revealing it to be Doctor Quack and a tall purple walrus with green eyes and a strange blue uniform shirt with red trims and gold epaulettes, but no pants. His claws and toes were a deeper purple than his fur.

"Miss… Takeba, was it?", Doctor Quack read the name on his clipboard. "Yes?", Yukari asked.

The walrus walked over to her and helped her out of bed. "Oh, thank you… uh…"

"I'm Rotor Walrus. A good friend of the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix you saw earlier. Nice to meet you.", he said jollily, a warm smile on his tusk-rimmed face.

Yukari smiled. "Likewise." As they shook hands, Rotor quickly grabbed his lower back and yelped. "Ack!"

Yukari gasped. "Is something wrong?" "Nah, just my back. After the attack on our old city a few weeks ago, my back has not been the sa-"

Yukari gasped again. "Your city was attacked?"

Doctor Quack and Rotor quickly shushed her. "Miss Takeba, please!", Doctor Quack whispered loudly. "I don't think I need to tell you that this _is_ a hospital. Please keep your voice down."

"Oops. Sorry.", Yukari flustered, her hand over her mouth. "It's alright. My back's better anyway.", Rotor smiled.

"But what do you mean by… _old_ city?" "Well…", Rotor began.

"Ahem.", Doctor Quack coughed impatiently. "I'd love to let my patients have a rousing conversation once in a while, but some of your friends are awake and would like to see you."

Yukari's expression lightened. She hastily followed the two to a large room down the hall.

To her surprise, she saw the same Mobians from before observing some of the S.E.E.S. members.

"So you're awake, guys." Yukari sighed happily. She noticed that the Freedom Fighters mostly had interest in Koromaru.

"He's just like Muttski!", Tails yipped as Koromaru barked and licked his furry cheek.

Knuckles and Akihiko were rambling on about being strong, mostly by how Akihiko acted like a tough guy upon waking up.

Junpei, Ken, Fuuka and Aegis were asleep. Mitsuru stirring caught Bunnie's and Amy's attention. "Why, hello there, sugar! You feelin' better?", Bunnie asked soothingly to the redheaded noble.

"I… Oh, my…", Mitsuru stammered. Amy cocked her head. "You alright?"

Mitsuru replied by uttering ceaseless inaudible rambling. Akihiko instantly got out of bed and lightly shook her. "Hey. HEY! Mitsuru, calm down!"

Mitsuru, finally snapping back to reality, looked a little calmer upon seeing him. "Akihiko! I… I… _where are we_…?"

He shrugged. "Search me." This surprised most of the Mobians in the group.

"To make matters worse, we seem to have been flung to another universe of some kind. One where the world is apparently populated by anthromorphs."

"Anthromorphs…?", Fuuka instantly shot up, a dreamily excited look on her face, especially after taking in her surroundings. "Real, living, breathing, existing anthromorphs! Just like in science fiction movies! Wait… I'm not dreaming, am I?", the seaweed-bluenette girl questioned as she proceeded to squeezing her cheek. "Yeowch!", she pouted. "Guess not… tee hee~!"

Akihiko paled with a 'Eeeeergh' kind of face.

Antoine, the pantsless coyote stepped forward. "You do not know where you are, for true?", his voice full of concern in his thick French accent.

"Wait… are there no humans on this planet?", Fuuka asked, her expression turning flat upon hearing Junpei's suddenly amped-up snoring. Ken's face, while still unconscious, twisted in disgust. He started thrashing a bit. Tails was the first to notice. "Oh…well-", Sally began.

"Oh! Looks like his guy's gonna wake up! I got 'im!", the Tails chirped, sitting next to Ken. Koromaru barked once and hopped onto Ken's bed.

Sally and Sonic exchanged worried looks sweatdropped a bit. "Uh, Tails, I don't think that's such a good idea... Tails?.", Sonic said nervously.

"Oh, he's waking up!", Tails said. Ken began stirring, slowly opening his eyes. "Mmmmff… where am I?" he said as his hair ruffled and he rubbed his eyes. "Ugh… did someone get the number of that Shadow last night…?"

Instantly, the humans froze and the Mobians expressed confused faces.

Akihiko put a hand to his chin. "Come to think of it—Ow!", he began before Mitsuru quickly elbowed him in the arm. Her expression clearly read 'Shut your hole!'. Akihiko quickly shut himself up.

"Come to think of _what_?", Sonic asked inquisitively, having zoomed to in front of the two Gekkoukan now-graduates in a millisecond, a 'I wanna know your secret' kind of look on his face.

If any moment could apply to both Mitsuru and Akihiko going '_God DAMN IT!_' and '_HOLY SHIT!_' at the same time, now would have qualified.

Ken quickly noticed that Koromaru was yipping happily and licking his face. "Oh! Koro-chan!", he giggled.

"Awww, he's such a sweet dog!", Tails chirped. "Yeah, he i—wait a minute.", Ken quickly registered. He obviously didn't recognize the voice. He slowly creaked his head to the left, and his jaw dropped to the bed in shock.

Sitting a foot from him was, in his opinion, one of the most respected videogame sidekicks of all time.

"_Hoooly cra-**AAAAACK**!_", Ken shouted before falling off the side of his bed, landing on his rear end. The sudden moment of the fall caused Tails to quickly stand up and lean over the bed, trip over the ledge, fall across the bed and colliding heads with Ken.

Both immediately clutched their heads and yelled "_OOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW_!", rubbing their bumps vigorously.

"Watch where you're landing, Tails-san!" "I'm sorry! I'm sor—_Wait a minute_…", Tails trailed. The Mobians found it incredibly suspicious that Ken knew the little fox's name upon waking up.

"Uh,… how exactly did you know his name…?", Julie-Su trailed. "Huh?", Ken replied before blinking twice. His eyes then shrunk to the size of peas before jumping up and screaming.

"H-Holy crap! I've been sent to the world of a video game!"

Mitsuru, Akihiko, Yukari and Fuuka froze in place. The Mobians looked like they all heard the most groundbreaking discovery of man – or Mobian – kind.

The room was filled with an eerie silence, broken only be Koromaru's panting and Junpei's loud snoring. Vector, Espio and Knuckles looked irately at the baseball cap-wearing Gekkoukan now-senior.

"Will somebody _please_ wake him up?", Knuckles asked dangerously.

Mitsuru sighed. "Knowing Iori, that isn't an easy task." "Or _is it_?", Akihiko smirked.

"Akihiko? What are you…?", Mitsuru started as she slowly placed her feet on the floor and quickly put on her shoes.

Akihiko deviously leaned to Junpei's elevated ear level, a small, evil, open-mouth smirk on his face.

"_Junpei…_', he whispered slightly loud. '_Mitsuru, Yukari, Fuuka and Aegis are all in bikinis_~.'

Junpei immediately rose up and shouted "**_SEX ON THE_ _BEACH_**!" loudly.

Everyone awake in the room looked totally horrified. Mitsuru gained a demonic face and slugged both Akihiko and Junpei in the face. The force of the punches knocked them over the other side of the bed, letting out a "GAHUAAAAAH!" as they crashed.

"My patients!", Dr. Quack screeched. Mitsuru immediately cast her demonic gaze upon the one-eyed duck, causing him to shrink in his webbed feet.

She marched over to the two boys, who were grabbing each other's arms and shook with fearful looks.

"How could you say something so… so… _degrading_? Of all the things you could have possibly said, you had to say something _that_ humiliating? We're stranded on another world and all you can think about is breasts?", she hissed darkly.

The fact that her breasts bounced as she yelled didn't help, as a blush crept over Akihiko's and Junpei's shocked faces.

"Uh… Mitsuru? Your… er…", Akihiko stammered. Realizing what he eluded to, she immediately kneed his in the face, knocking him into the wall with a "GUAHAAAGH!"

She then cast her gaze upon the shocked Junpei, who immediately jumped back into his bed and rocked back-and-forth in a fetal position.

The Mobians, Yukari, Ken and Fuuka stared at Mitsuru with gawking expressions, who simply tossed her hair and regain composure. "Now then… now that my 'execution' has been fulfilled…"

'_Execution?_', all Mobians thought at the same time.

"… Could we finally get down to business as to what is going on here?", she smiled lightly.

"Perhaps _I_ could be of service.", came a rather mystical voice.

Everyone turned their heads to see a tall Mobian brown fox with white muzzle fur and blue eyes wearing a dark blue robe covering his ears and top-of-head. His muzzle fur gave it the appearance of a small beard and wore an orange-and-white orb necklace. His arms were crossed via his arms in the other arm's sleeve.

Next to him was a fox with equal height and a blue eye – his left covered by an eyepatch – with almond fur and a tuft of dark-reddish-brown hair from the back of his head, between his foxy ears and curled upwards on his forehead like a trail of foam. He wore a similar coat to that of Antoine – a blue coat with red trims and gold epaulettes. He wore red knee-high platform boots. He had large brown eyebrows which furrowed slightly. He had a long curved sword attached to his left hip, held by a tan sheath.

Tails got up and gasped. "Uncle Merlin! Dad!"

Yukari blinked. '_There's a resemblance? Huh…_'

Tails tackled the robed fox – Merlin Prower – after having not seen him in a long time, and his headfur was ruffled by his father, Amadeus. Both smiled.

"So these young children are the ones who descended from the sky?", Merlin asked, intrigued.

"Yes, Merlin.", Dr. Quack said, his eye on his clipboard. "6 humans, 1 dog and one cyborg girl had been admitted."

"!", Sonic gaped as he eyed the sleeping Aegis dangerously. Not realizing what was going on, Fuuka got out of her bed and examined her blond friend. "Ever since she became more human, I haven't been able to tell if she's dead or alive anymore. It's still hard to believe she can live even when her synaptic circuits no longer receive power. And to think… it was all thanks to Metis… and _him_…"

The other members of S.E.E.S. changed to depressed looks. Yukari snapped out of it in shock. Wait and minute… you said _six_ humans, right? Then that means I'm not dreaming! That really _was_ Minato!", she asked loudly.

The other S.E.E.S. members, even Koromaru, looked shocked. "So that's his name.", the duck doctor said as he scribbled on his clipboard. "The boy's really lucky. He was barely breathing when he got here. Come to think of it, he was in the second crater, away from all of you. It was Miss Yukari and Sonic here who found him."

Ken, Junpei, Akihiko, Mitsuru, Fuuka and Koromaru shot up.

"…!", Fuuka gasped. Misturu and Akihiko were stunned. Junpei mouth hung. "Seriously..?" Ken stood up, his body trembling with shock. Koromaru stopped panting, a gaping look on his face.

Mitsuru proceeded to grab Dr. Quack by the scruff of his lab coat. "Where is he?"

Dr. Quack was barely able to say "You can't see him now…! He's in critical condition…!"

Mitsuru let go as soon as she realized that she had been strangling the poor duck. "I'm… sorry…" It was evident to the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix that this 'Minato' kid was important to them.

"Why don't we take this from the top?", Sally inquired. "I'm Princess Sally Acorn, leader of the Freedom Fighters and Princess of the Republic of Acorn."

* * *

Unknown Location, Mobius, August 3, 3237, ?:? Hours

* * *

Minato's eyes slowly opened, trying to adjust to the soft lights and fast-feeling atmosphere, as if he were in a moving room.

A soft piano tune was playing. Recognizing the one-of-a-kind tune, he knew exactly where he was.

Sitting in a large cushioned chair sat a short old man with a bald head, thinning white sideburns, a black suit, and an unmistakably large and long pointed nose.

To his left stood a tall young woman with short and bowl-cut bleach-blond hair, a blue one-piece dress with four yellow orbs surrounded by dark-blue rings serving as buttons, blue gloves, boots and small hat perched on her head. Her eyes were a piercing yellow.

The old man opened his eyes to reveal them to be small black dots, with major black lines around his circular eyes. His hands were crossed, sheltered under his long nose.

"Are you awake?", he asked in a perplexing voice.

"Igor… Elizabeth…", Minato whispered. He had trouble adjusting to the dim lights of the Velvet Room. The fact that the room was like a never-ending upward elevator ride didn't help at all.

"What… happened…?", Minato trailed. He realized that it was very hard to actually speak reason, like a weight pulling down his lungs.

"Yes! That is precisely what we wanted to discuss with you, my dear boy!", Igor jeered, raising his arms. "You see… after your battle with the Appriser, Nyx's servant, you used a great deal of your innate power, my boy. You had used the power of the Wild Card splendidly, might I add. However…", he trailed sadly.

"? '…However…?'", Minato asked, ridging a brow. Elizabeth stepped forward, a strange mix of sad and relief on her face. "You used up your soul's power to form the Great Seal, from which Nyx – the Bringer of Death – had been sealed away. However by doing so… you died.", she trailed before small tears formed in the Velvet Room servant's pale yellow eyes.

Minato looked shocked. "I _what_?", he yelled and stood from his harp-shaped chair, only to cringe and fall on the floor in agony, moaning loudly. Elizabeth gasped and ran over to him, checking him.

"It appears that in your spiritual – and physical – resuscitation, your mind and body are probably weak from the stress of adjusting to living once more.", Igor pondered.

"I can –**grrrr**- see that, thank you…", Minato groaned, surprising both Igor and Elizabeth with a sentence longer than usual.

"What? I talk, don't I? EEEEEERGH!", Minato yelped as he cringed more towards a fetal position.

"Perhaps some rest will be able to do you some good. Your friends are nearby, my boy. They will be watching over you soon. Also, a word of advice…", Igor said.

"…Huh?", Minato asked, trying to sit off the rather comfortable carpet. Seriously, it felt like fine silk on his flesh.

"You are in a home away from home. Be careful of this new world. And be on the lookout for another with your potential. They are closer to you than you think."

And with that, Minato blacked out.

* * *

New Mobotroplois, Mobius, August 3, 3237, 10:03 Hours

* * *

Minato woke up in a rather strange hospital room. He could tell because even with the high tech equipment and surprisingly lavish tiling and carpeting, he could tell the smell.

The same sickening sanitation smell from when he was sent to the hospital that fateful night his parents died during the Dark Hour, ten years before.

Feeling weak, he tried to roll over to the right, only to cringe in pain again. Apparently, Igor wasn't kidding when he said he would be in for a world of hurt.

He looked out the window to see a relatively beautiful village setting painted with greenery and surrounded by the inner edge of what appeared to be some sort of giant high-tech wall and barrier.

"What the…?", Minato managed to whisper. His head suddenly jerked to the right as he heard a knock on the door leading possibly to the hallway. "Yes…?", he asked weakly, but strong enough to be heard.

The door slid open, and Minato's eyes shrunk in shock.

There stood a 4 ½ foot young boy with a mop messy short black hair and a slight part on the left in a long-sleeve pajama top and pajama pants, both with thick stripes of black and white, giving off the impression of prison clothes. He was also barefoot.

Opening his eyes slowly, they revealed to be a sickeningly bright blue. A small mole was on the bottom outer corner of his left eye. He had an innocently wide grin on his face. An all-too familiar smile on an all-too familiar face.

Minato's face hardened.

"Pharos."

* * *

New Mobotropolis, Mobius, August 3, 3237, 10:03 Hours

* * *

The collective group of Freedom Fighters and S.E.E.S members shared a unanimous expression of disbelief.

"So… let me get this straight…", Mitsuru stammered while playing with her hair. "You mean to say that it's been roughly 10000 years since mankind was nearly extinct from an alien bomb, causing animal-kind to evolve into these… 'Mobo-Sapiens', making you all the dominant species of the planet… and are now fighting an all-out war against a group of tyrants... particularly this 'Eggman' character?"

"Yes that's right.", Sally replied. "And _you're_ saying you fought an all-out war against the yearning of man to die and these creatures called 'Shadows' using a natural Shadow-like entity called 'Personas' with your guns you call 'Evokers'?"

"That about sums it all up.", Akihiko answered. Espio looked at Junpei, who all this time looked nervous. "Something on your mind,… Junpei, was it?"

Junpei looked startled for a minute before stammering nervously.

Julie-Su stepped forward. "That kid Ken said something about a video game, and you look like you're hiding something about it. Care to spill the beans?", the pink –and-purple echidna asked dangerously, her eyes in a piercing glare.

"W-well y'see…", Junpei started nervously, after which inhaling deeply. "The company SEGA, which created the Sonic the Hedgehog games in Japan, had an American comic book made in the United States following roughly the exact same story we just heard. ...Um,… you don't think…?", he trailed and scratched his peach fuzzed-chin, causing the Mobians to arch eyebrows.

It was Ken who killed the moment. "So you're saying we've been thrust into the universe of an American comic book based off of Sonic the Hedgehog."

Fuuka, Mitsuru, Aegis and Koromaru blinked twice. Mitsuru mouth gaped slightly, an indescribable noise escaping her mouth. The surrounding Mobians looked at Junpei in shock.

Akihiko, however, looked mentally disturbed. "Junpei…" "Y-yeah?", the baseball hat-wearing teen replied.

"Had it not been for the insane shit we had experienced in the last year coupled with what's happening _right now_, I'd say you're completely **insane**.", he said, lines forming on the sides of the boxer's eyes as they bugged out and he bent forward. Junpei looked stunned.

"_But_… in retrospect of what's _actually_ happening… I'm willing to think that that's a distinct possibility.", he said, a slight shiver in his voice.

"I always wanted to experience what an American comic book was like. I just… never expected it to be like _this_.", Aegis said slowly.

"A-Aegis! When did you wake up?", Fuuka gasped. "I've been using Minato's method of 'listening with your eyes closed'. I'm quite surprised that it actually works.", the blonde mechanical maiden replied. "O-oh…"

"Whoawhoawhoa **_HOLD UP_**.", Sonic exasperated, his hands shoving back and forth to emphasize his disbelief. "Are you saying we're fictional characters in some _book_? You don't _honestly_ expect us to belie–"

Suddenly, out of thin air, NICOLE materialized. Having done so stunned the members of S.E.E.S., causing Juinpei and Fuuka to shriek lightly and hug each other, only to look flustered and blush while letting go and looking in other directions.

"Hello, everyone. It's nice to see such friendly-looking faces finally up and out of bed."

"Relax. It's only my sentient computer program, NICOLE. She just does that often, since she can appear anywhere she wants in the city at any time." Sally then turned to her and said "It's nice to know you've recovered so quickly from last night."

"Wh-wh-wh-_what_? She just… POOF, shows up?", Junpei gawked. Typical face, knowing him.

Fuuka and Aegis, however, looked fascinated by NICOLE.

"A computer program which can physically manifest itself in a physical form of core consciousness at will?", Fuuka beamed, stars – quite literally – in her eyes. "We've only seen this future for ten minutes and already I'm loving it all!"

Aegis walked over to computer-generated Mobian lynx. "Hello fellow machination. My name is Aegis, an automated anti-Shadow extermination unit. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Oh, I see", the latter replied. "You're a cyborg with extremely Overlander - I'm sorry, _human_-like qualities. You'll have to forgive me, seeing that I'm really the program of a handheld computer.", NICOLE giggled nervously, scratching the back of her head with her left hand while shaking Aegis' hand with her right.

"Pardon me, Miss… NICOLE, was it?", Mitsuru asked. "You claimed to have recently recovered from something. Were you by any chance involved with why the guards in this room were also injured?", a stern look in her eyes.

Merlin let out a slight hum. "This girl is sharp beyond her years." Amadeus eyed his brother oddly.

Sally frowned. "So you've figured it out that quickly, huh? I didn't even tell most of the others here, nor most of the kingdom of what happened last night."

Antoine, Bunnie, Amy, Tails and the Chaotix instantly looked at Sally. "Are you saying that the guard's and NICOLE's injuries had something to do with the alarm last night? It only lasted for about a minute, though. Odd, that.", Espio said flatly.

"You see… about that… the Iron Queen…", said slowly. The other Mobians, minus Sonic, Amadeus and Merlin tensed and looked full of suspense.

Sally gulped hard. "She… well… she busted out. There, I said it.", her eyes covered by the fold of her large blob of hair resting atop her head before sighing and looking ashamed.

The room was dead silent. The Chaotix looking fearfully at Espio, who paled considerably. Amy's breathing got faster. Bunnie trembled in her robotic legs. Antoine gripped her organic right arm tightly, a bead of sweat on his muzzle.

"W-what…?", Ray, yellow flying squirrel asked meekly, his voice full of fear. Mighty and Knuckles, however, were more vocal. "_WHAAAAAT?"_

"How did she even get out? That cell could hold _Mammoth Mogul_, for God's sake!", Vector yelled in an uproar. Dr. Quack quickly shushed them harshly, causing the three muscle-headed Chaotix members to rub their heads in embarrassment.

"This 'Iron Queen' woman… she was bad, wasn't she?", Yukari asked, seriousness in her voice.

Sonic grit his teeth. "One of the worst. Terrorized the Dragon Kingdom continent with her Iron Dominion and ruled with an iron fist… made it hell for Monkey Khan and the Dragon Kingdom Freedom Fighters… and even took over the Eggman Empire when Eggman… well…"

Sonic trailing off caused a wave of confused silence among his allies. "He… what?", Tails asked, afraid that he actually knew where this was going, considered what he seen when the Iron Dominion tried to re-capture the fat mad genius.

Sonic bit his lip. "At out final attack on the Eggamn Empire… when I broke his Egg Spider… he finally snapped and tried to kill me with his bare hands. And… it was all my fault. I pushed him off the deep end. Big time. I... I…_ I… I didn't mean to…_", he stammered to say while begin to shake like a leaf.

The Freedom Fighters and Chaotix, along with S.E.E.S., looked in shock of the sight before them – Sonic the Hedgehog… remorseful. Shaken. _Scared_.

Now they learned Sonic's dreaded secret, a secret which plagued him for some time.

"A-Anyway…", Sally said, trying to change the subject. "The Iron Queen escaped. That's the short version. What most of everyone _doesn't_ know is that she ultimately didn't do it alone… She was busted out from the _outside_.", she concluded darkly.

Mitsuru and the others could tell the seriousness of the statement.

"Someone… _broke her out_?", Knuckles gawked, his face in shock. "After all we've been through, she…?"

"I think what Knuckles is trying to ask is…", Julie-Su asked calmly, trying not to show her surprise. "Who was able to break her out? I mean, the route to the prison was guarded by several of the Kingdom's Elite Guard _and_ patrol was headed by Geoffrey himself. I doubt it could have gone so smoothly for whoever had the gall to do this."

"Actually… NICOLE went to the prison the second the prison deactivated, and saw the face of the individual. But what disturbed me was…NICOLE?", Sally asked.

NICOLE's eyes sank and frowned. "The perpetrator was… a young human male. Not an Overlander… a full-fledged, five-fingered, _actual_ human."

All the Mobians in the room gawked hard. S.E.E.S looked surprised considering what they learned about the fundamental difference between Overlanders and humans, and that Overlanders had xenophobia of Mobians, whereas humans did not – no wonder why some of the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix were slightly on edge.

"A…human? Like the humans in Station Square?", Tails asked in surprise.

"That's not the worst of it, mates.", came a lone, thickly Australian-like accent.

Everyone turned to see Geoffrey St. John, suspending himself with crutches, followed by his wife Hershey the Cat, who was in uniform. He was not wearing his combat suit, but a simple hospital gown and heelless slippers. There was a large bracing cast on his left leg. "Geoffrey! How long have you been standing there?", Sally gasped.

"I saw the perp's face. Let me tell you – it was quite the sight.", he said, his eyes trailing to the members of S.E.E.S., looking at Yukari first and last. His cerulean eyes shrunk upon seeing the gun holstered on her right hip.

"-gasp- That gun!", he gasped as he quickly walked to Yukari and removed the Evoker from her holster. "H-Hey!", the strawberry-blond girl yelped. Junpei's brows furrowed. "Hey! Give that back!"

Geoffrey studied the gun furiously. His facial expression, which Yukari noticed, had a look of pure terror. "It's the same gun as last night!", he said, unconsciously dropping the gun.

The Mobians in the room looked surprised. "**_What_**?", Mitsuru rose her voice, much to the skunk's surprise. "Someone _else_ has an Evoker?"

"So that's what they're called… 'Evokers'… wait, how did _you_ mates get these things? And while you're at it, how did you even get here?"

"It's a long story.", Akihiko sighed.

Geoffrey's brows furrowed. "I got time."

* * *

New Mobotropolis, Mobius, August 3, 3237, 10:08 Hours

* * *

"Pharos.", Minato said flatly.

"Hello!", Pharos replied in his disturbingly cheerful disposition. "It's been a while, hasn't it?", he asked, never changing his smile.

" But… _how_? I thought… you…I…_Nyx_… How are you even-", Minato stuttered, having difficulty on how to ask such a simple question. After all, Pharos was also Ryoji Mochizuki, a former classmate, and was also in turn the Shadow that personified Arcana number XIII.

Death. The end of everything.

Pharos, Ryoji, Thanatos, Nyx.

All separate, yet one in the very same. So how was Pharos still even existent? The idea seemed to thrust the bluenette into a deeper pit of confusion.

"When you formed the Great Seal to lock Nyx away, you gave up your life force to uphold it. Now that you've come back from the grave, I suppose I was freed as well.", he said beamingly, walking slightly around the room to explore it. "So _this_ is a hospital room. It's… much different from _your_ room. -gasp- Oh, wow! You can see a good portion of this city from here! Is this the top floor?"

"Pharos...? Pharos! Focus!", Minato barked, then clutched his head in pain. Apparently raising his voice would _also_ hurt like a mother.

Innocently, Pharos gasped. "Oops. Sorry. I guess after being locked away for over 10,000 years I forgot what is what like on the outside." "Wh-what? _10,000?_"

Minato noticed the boy's smile turned to a frown. "I'm afraid I don't have much time to explain things… but I must tell you something."

"?", Minato blinked.

"I'm afraid I've been... captured. Captured by these strange people. People who wish to harness the power of Death." His eyes were sorrowful. "I am talking to you on borrowed time, so I must be quick."

Minato, slowly leaned closer. Pharos sat on the side of Minato's bed, twiddling his thumbs. "These people have the same power as you and your friends – the power of Persona."

This caught Minato's attention.

"One of them had attacked this city last night, rescuing a woman they had in custody with the same potential, unknown to the woman in question. She was really bad news – a full-fledged dictator. She was rescued by who I call 'the scarred, one-eyed priest'; I'm afraid don't know his name, so I can't help you there."

"Go on…", Minato trailed.

"Their wish is to bring an end to the newly dominant race of animal people on this world, using _my_ – Nyx's – power. They have many numbers, at least 1 for every Arcana. Even…"

"Even…?", Minato asked cautiously.

"Even the Fool… and their boss, the _World_." This struck a chord in the bluenette.

"Y-You're kidding, right?" Pharos did not answer him.

"Minato, there are two more things I can tell you, so listen carefully. These animal people… Mobians… have traces of human DNA… human essence… and some are capable of attaining Persona. Find the one with powers like yours. All I know is that he's blue and is some kind of rodent."

'_A blue rodent? …Why do I have bad feeling about this…?_', Minato thought to himself. "And the second?"

"'He who is a god of Judgment can undo the Death of the Pope'. I'm not entirely sure what it means, though, but do give some thought. It might mean something in the future."

"Where'd you hear _that_?", Minato asked warily. "Just… intuition.", Pharos said before smiling again. "It was nice seeing you it lasted, but I'm afraid… this is goodbye."

Pharos began to fade. "Pharos… Pharos, wait!", Minato yelled, only to wince in more pain.

"Goodbye… my friend… Oh, and check your coat pocket…", and with that, he completely vanished.

"Pharos! Pha—_**GAH**_!", Minato yelled as he tried to stand up, but fell out of bed in a large thud.

New Mobotropolis, Mobius, August 3, 3237, 10:12 Hours

"What was _that_?", Ken asked out loud all of a sudden during explaining everything to Geoffrey.

"_Pharos! Pharos, wait!_"

"That voice…! Is that…?", Akihiko gasped.

"_Pharos! Pha–**GAH**!_", then a loud thud was heard.

"-gasp- Minato!", Yukari shrieked before running out the room and turning a sharp right down the long hall.

"We should follow her.", Mitsuru said. The other members of S.E.E.S. nodded and followed suit, including Koromaru.

"W-wait! You all just recovered! Oooooohhh, why can't my patients just lie down for once?", Dr. Quack whined before Sonic followed the doctor.

Yukari slid the door to the room open, tears forming in her eyes. "Minato!"

Minato slowly stood up, albeit a few kinks in the process, and turned in surprise. "Yukari…!"

The strawberry-blond girl's tears came flowing out as he ran to hug the bluenette and sobbed.

"*sob* You're here! You're really,_ really_…! *sob*", Yukari bawled. Mitsuru and the others all gave smiles. Aegis was crying steady tears, looking like she was going to bawl as yell.

"Uh… Yukari…?", Minato asked slowly. "*sob* Y-yes…?"

"You're… kinda… hugging too hard…", Minato squeezed, sounding like he was going to pass out.

Yukari gasped and let go, blushing hard in embarrassment. Minato chuckled heartily, then scrunched his face as he sat on his bed.

"-gasp- Are you alright?", Yukari asked, placing her hands on the resurrected boy's shoulders. "Y-yeah. Just… in a _lot_ of pain."

Dr. Quack walked into the room. "A lot of pain, how?"

Minato didn't look behind him as he answered "Like being hit by 4 or 5 trucks in a row kind of pain. …Wait a minute."

Minato slowly turned his head, his eyes shrinking to see a bipedal talking yellow duck with an eyepatch, lab coat and stethoscope.

"…No_. Fucking. **Way**._", the boy with half of his face covered by hair gawked. Ken and Koromaru looked at Minato in utter surprise. Mitsuru, Fuuka and Akihiko blinked twice. Aegis placed a hand on her mouth.

"Well.", the duck doctor blinked. "_That's_ a new one."

"Have I finally lost it, or is there a walking, talking duck literally three feet from me? Depending on where this is going, I can go either way."

"Well, aren't _you_ Mr. Sunshine? How about you were barely stable and on the verge on dying after being spat out by quantum vortex, huh? A 'thank you' would be nice, on account of me bringing you here!", cried Sonic. "_Sonic!_", Dr. Quack chided.

Minato looked towards Sonic. "Wait a minute…", he droned. '_Blue rodent… No way…!_'

Minato's jaw dropped. "You're Sonic the Hedgehog, aren't you?", Minato asked just below yelling as he shot up, only to fall back down on the bed and grunt loudly in pain.

Sonic eyes shrunk slightly. "If you're not from this world, then how _do _you know my name?", Sonic asked cautiously.

"Because he's part of our group, that's why.", Yukari commented.

"Oh, so _you're_ Minato. Huh. From what I heard, I imagined you were… uh…"

"_What_? Taller? Stronger? _More masculine haircut_?", Minato retorted, annoyed. Sonic chuckled nervously.

"Well, anyway, it's nice to meet you, Minato. Your friends spoke highly of you to all of us. When you're better, I'll treat you to Uncle Chuck's Diner, and his famous Chili Dogs, if ya want!", Sonic smiled and both blue males shook hands.

Minato's eyes shrunk slightly as everyone heard a loud rumbling from the bluenette's stomach. Said bluenette blushed. "Yeah. That'd be great, actually."

Junpei laughed. "Samn ol' big-gutted Minato! You really are something, dude!"

Ken and Akihiko giggled lightly.

The golden moment was unfortunately shattered when the city alarm sounded.

"**ATTENTION ALL CIVILIANS! PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR HOMES IMMEADIATELY! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! REPEAT! THIS IS NOT A DRILL**!"

"Wh-what the hell's that?", Junpei gawked in surprise. "It's an alarm, idiot.", Akihiko replied deadpan among the noise.

"It think what Junpei-san is trying to say is '_why_ is the alarm sounding?', Akihiko-san.", Ken interjected.

Sally ran into the doorway. "Sonic! An intruder has been detected at the entrance to the city! One human male's already incapacitated an entire squad of the Secret Service! Tails and the others are heading there now!"

"Oh boy. Geoffrey's gonna be _real_ sore about this.", Sonic chided, his eyes narrowing and ears drooped.

"We also got positive ID that it's the same man from before. The same one who harmed Geoffrey and escaped with the Iron Queen. But don't tell him that.", Sally said.

"Hey hey _hey_! There's a fight? Hey, I'm handy right now; I only need my fists.", Akihiko commented.

"As much as I appreciate the help, you're all injured guests. This has nothing to do with you gu-", Sally began.

"I beg to differ, with all due respect, Your Highness.", Mitsuru retorted. "My family's group was directly involved in the creation of all Evokers and all subsequent events forthwith. Therefore, _yes_. It _does_ have to do with us. Everyone, we're going.", Mitsuru commanded.

Everyone nodded, but Mitsuru walked up to Minato and said "Except you, Arisato. You need your bed-rest. Badly, it seems."

"But, Mitsuru-senpai! I-!", Minato began before Mitsuru's glare intensified enough to make the bluenette sweat bullets. "Arisato, you're staying here.", she the redhead said slowly. "That is of course you _want_ to be executed."

Minato, and subsequently Sonic, gulped. "Y-yes, ma'am…", the bluenette choked.

Mitsuru nodded. Everyone, save Dr. Quack and Minato, ran out of the room.

Dr. Quack turned to his bedridden patient. "Does she _always_ do that…?" "You have _no idea_… Say, doctor?" "Yes...?", Dr. Quack asked carefully.

"I have a favor to ask."

* * *

New Mobotropolis, Mobius, August 3, 3237, 10:20 Hours

* * *

Several armed guards of the Secret Service stood or crouched painfully in total shock.

The male priest reported to have infiltrated the city limits this moment had not only been confirmed to be the perp from last night – the same one to have broken the Iron Queen out of prison – but was also fighting on par with Hershey St. John, Geoffrey's cat-Mobian wife, and was not even breaking his posture.

"Wouldja look at that human. He's fighting on equal footing with Ms. Hershey.", a tall bulldog in a similar combat suit to Geoffrey and Hershey whispered loudly.

"Look again, Pug.", a burly beige beaver Mobian chided. "That human ain't even usin' his arms. He still got that cross-thing in his left hand on his chest, and his right to his side. All he's doin' is fancy footwork."

"But he kicked us all down_ hard_ when he made that look. If Hershey's not careful-"

"Are you implying that Ms. Hershry'll _lose_? C'mon!", the beaver retorted. "But still…"

Hershey was absolutely angry. Not only had this young man injured now 13 men extensively, one being her husband, but he was dodging each and every one of the black-and-white cat's attacks as if nothing were there.

Finally showing signs of impatience, Hershey screamed and threw a very fast kick, only for the male priest to block its path with his left wrist, the hand loosely holding the cross, now visibly revealing its true form as an Evoker.

"!", Hershey gasped, as she saw the brunette cut lawn-and-towel haircut priest open his un-patched eye to reveal a soulless, dull milk chocolate brown, his mouth twisting in disappointment. The long purple rosary necklace shuffled slightly.

"Is that honestly the best you can do?", he asked flatly. "And you call yourself a special agent. How… _disgraceful_. I bet you can't even claw your way out of a stupid jam without your precious hubby around." His facial expression oozed disappointment.

"Shut _up!_", Hershey yelled as she attempted to claw at his face, only for her to be launched up from a kick to her chin, the young man's leg being held at a seemingly impossible angle towards his head.

The force of the kick launched Hershey a few feet in the air, in which the priest spun and roundhouse-kicked her clear in the chest, causing her to fly back about 10 feet.

Upon her rough landing, Hershey spat out a gob of blood, the scarlet liquid staining her ivory muzzle fur.

"I grow tired of this game. I believe it's about time I finished you all off.", he said flatly. He rose the cross in his hand to his chest and closed his eye.

"O Father in heaven, he who has granted life unto this world, please allow these children of Your being safe passage to the heavens.", he prayed solemnly.

After praying, he began to walk towards Hershey slowly, much to the cat's fear.

"I don't _think _so!", came a loud voice. Instinctively, the boy spun around and kicked where a certain Spin-Dashing hedgehog was violently trying to knock him down with one push.

Sadly, it failed, as the boy's foot alone held the surprised hedgehog in place. "N—no way!", he cried.

"Yes, Sonic the Hedgehog. **_Way_**.", he replied as he spun and kicked the blue Mobian to the left like a soccer ball, crying "GUAAAGH!" in the process.

"Sonic!", cried a mélange of voices. The Freedom Fighters and Chaotix all amassed about 20 yards away, with most of S.E.E.S. behind them.

"W-whoa! Talk about a freaky appearance.", Junpei gaped.

"H-he deflected Sonic's Spin Dash with ease!", Tails gasped. "That's not possible!"

"Freedom Fighters! Chaotix! Move in!", Sally yelled. The Mobian teams scrambled to surround the priest. His face twisted into a slight smirk.

"Perhaps, as a whole, you _may_ provide an adequate challenge.", he chided. He then darted with surprising speed for Vector and headbutted the crocodile in the skull, much to their surprise.

Grabbing the falling croc by the wrist, he spun and threw him at Mighty and Julie-Su, who were knocked down by the sheer strength of the throw. Enraged, Knuckles yelled out and charged at the boy, fists raised.

The male sighed and gracefully side-stepped the red echidna and kicked him in the back of the skull face-first into the dirt. "_Next_.", he said, bored.

Instinctively, he jumped about 4 feet into the air and back-flipped, dodging and catching both of Espio's shuriken. Before landing, he threw them at Bunnie and Antione, stabbing both of them in Bunnie's arm cannon and Antoine's right wrist bone, which caused him to drop his curved saber and fall back in pain.

Once the priest landed, he darted for Espio, slid towards the chameleon like he was home plate, hooked his leg around Espio's neck and forced him into the ground. A loud thud was heard.

"That's it! I'm not standing around while these guys get creamed!", Akihiko yelled as he charged, fists raised, at the pale-brunette. The long tassel of hair covering the right of his face flickered as he spun towards Akihiko, who began unleashing a flurry of powerful punches. The priest instinctively threw the cross into his mouth and bit down on it, allotting him the ability to block the silverette's blows with both hands.

Even though he didn't show it, Akihiko was both shocked and impressed for the lanky priest to blocking his blows with relative ease.

The enemy quickly spun around and struck Akihiko's left temple with a swift spin kick, taking the boxer out of the fight.

"Whereas your punches are clearly superior, this _isn't_ a boxing match. Therefore, I am free to use my legs… _Akihiko Sanada_.". the black robed male chided as he looked over his shoulder, the camera view capturing the light in his left eye.

Everyone, even those who were down, were shocked. "H-how do you know my name?", Akihiko gasped.

The male sighed. "I know _quite well_ the existence of S.E.E.S.' entire membership – even little 'Koro-chan' - is in New Mobotropois's protective care. Sadly…", he trailed before his expression changed to a cold, angered gaze.

"None of you are who I'm looking for. Therefore, I'll ask you this only _once_: '…Where the **hell** is Minato Arisato'?"

Every member of S.E.E.S' eyes shrunk at what they saw.

As a small wind was exiting the priest's personal space from his feet and created a looming breeze, a white burst of soft flame erupted from about 2 feet from the crown of his head, forming a rectangular image of a card with themes of black-and-blue, with a bi-colored mask of black and white in its center. The card's scale was about nine inches wide by sixteen inches long.

"What the-?", Knuckles yelled as he unearthed himself.

"Is this guy a magician? Ooh! Do a magic trick!", Charmy bellowed, only for Saffron to shush him.

"I got a _bad_ feelin' 'bout this...", Bunnie whispered.

Sonic looked at the blown-up image and clutched his head in head, his right eye closed tightly. '_Wh-what is this feeling…? It's like that face is shaking every fiber of my being!_'

Ken's eyes shrunk and he pointed as he gasped. "-gasp- It's flipping!"

Slowly the image flipped, revealing the illustration of a blue-and-white-rimmed tarot card. It illustration showed panes of navy blues and purples, with its center showing a yellow five-pointed full-bodied star with a man's illustrated face. The star had an upside-down star under it, encircled by a yellow circle – all of which had a black trim. Several smaller stars were scattered around the image.

What caught Mitsuru's attention was the Roman numeral in on the bottom-center of the card.

XVII.

"Is this boy…?", she gaped.

"So you _can_ see it. Guess you're not as weak as I imagined.", the priest grinned. He then stiffened his posture, resuming his pose of the Evoker to his chest.

"My name is Lacri of the Organization. I am represented by Arcana number 17…_The Star_.", the priest, Lacri, stated.

"But that's Impossible! A Shadow's Arcana only goes as far up the Arcana as Death! Number _13_! How is that even possible?", Fuuka gasped.

The card shattered like glass and vanished. "Didn't you know? A Persona has always been capable of attaining any Arcana under the spectrum; your 'field leader' knows that the most, does he not?"

Yukari's eyes shrunk. "His power…!", she gasped. Lacri's mouth stretched to a small smaile. "Finally, someone gets it."

Aegis readied her finger turrets, despite her not being in her white combat suit. She began to unleash serious firepower after shouting "Stay away from Minato!", only for the priest to sigh and perform something that frightened everyone at the scene, especially Sonic, who still seemed to have a migraine of some sort.

Lacri dove forward and kicked the ground at his feet, allowing him to dash in such a way that he was side-dodging the bullets in a fashion reminiscent to Sonic running. After dodging 10 seconds of a few seconds and several rounds worth of robot girl projectiles, he stopped mere inches from Aegis, his whiteless brown eye meeting Aegis' double-toned blue orbs, which shrunk.

Lacri reared back head and headbutted the mechanical maiden and grabbed her in mid-fall, raising her by her neck.

"If you won't tell me where he is… then perhaps I shall eliminate toy all here, and search for him on foot. But something tells me… _he'll come without fail_."

"Wh-what makes you say that…?", Aegis gasped; even though she could not be choked to death, Lacri's hand was dangerously close to the Papillion Heart in the back of her neck; her core being - heart, soul, personality, power, and everything in between. Without it, she'd certainly die.

"Because if he doesn't… well, my friends in high places will just have to wipe this city off the map now, won't they?", he remarked coldly.

"STOP!", roared a voice.

Everyone able turned to see the bluenette Minato standing in a fighting stance… or at least the best fighting stance a crutch under his left arm could allow. His Evoker was in his right hand, instinctively pointed at his head.

Before anyone could move, Lacri threw Aegis like a fastball at Mitsuru and Fuuka, knocking them down hard.

Only Ken, Koromaru, Yukari, Junpei, Sally, Amy, Tails, Charmy, Safforn and Ray remained able.

The problem was that Koromaru was useless without a knife, Ken without a spear, Yukari without a bow and arrow or Junpei without a two-handed sword.

Amy and Tails had the best chance of landing a hit, but it could very well cost them. The bees and Ray, along with Sally, were out of the question.

In total powerlessness, everyone watched as Lacri slapped the Evoker out of Minato's hand and grabbed the bluenette's skull; the Evoker landed a foot from Sonic after a bounce or two. Sonic stared at the gun in awe.

'_Go on…~_', a serene boyish voice said softly in the hedgehog's head.

"Soon we will have it… Thanatos' power!", Lacri grinned excitedly. A violent aura erupted from both Minato and Lacri, causing Minato to start screaming in pain. The remaining group was horrified by the fact that they couldn't get any closer to help the injured Persona-user.

Sonic slowly stood up, the Evoker pressed to his right temple. "Let him go!"

Lacri's torture seemed to slow slightly as he turned to the hedgehog, a surprised look in his eye. "Impossible… he _couldn't_…!"

Sonic's eyes slowly opened, looking slightly dull, and a closed-lip grin stretching on his face. "Per…so…"

His eyes widened in size. "…_**Na**!_" Sonic pulled the trigger.

All that was heard was the sound of shattered glass, and a deafening roar.

* * *

Next Time: awake, Th3 BEAST, arise, Th3 JESTER

* * *

Please read and review~!


	3. Awake, The BEAST, Arise, The JESTER

_PREVIOUSLY…_

_In total powerlessness, everyone watched as Lacri slapped the Evoker out of Minato's hand and grabbed the bluenette's skull; the Evoker landed a foot from Sonic after a bounce or two. Sonic stared at the gun in awe._

'_**Go on…~**__', a serene boyish voice said softly in the hedgehog's head._

"_Soon we will have it… Thanatos' power!", Lacri grinned excitedly. A violent aura erupted from both Minato and Lacri, causing Minato to start screaming in pain. The remaining group was horrified by the fact that they couldn't get any closer to help the injured Persona-user._

_Sonic slowly stood up, the Evoker pressed to his right temple. "Let him go!"_

_Lacri's torture seemed to slow slightly as he turned to the hedgehog, a surprised look in his eye. "Impossible… he __**couldn't**__…!"_

_Sonic's eyes slowly opened, looking slightly dull, and a closed-lip grin stretching on his face. "Per…so…"_

_His eyes widened in size. "…__**Na**__!" Sonic pulled the trigger._

_All that was heard was the sound of shattered glass, and a deafening roar._

_

* * *

_

Chapter 3: Awake, The BEAST, Arise, The JESTER

* * *

New Mobotropolis, Mobius, August 3, 3237, 10: 31 Hours

* * *

"Let me go!", Geoffrey St. John roared at two of his subordinates and one of the nurses.

"Mr. St. John, _please_!", the yellow mink Mobian nurse in a white nurse gown pleaded, fighting against the skunk's left arm nudging her cheek. "You _know _we can't let you leave! What about you injuries!"

"She's right, sir!", a shut-eyed beaver Mobian pleaded, gripping the skunk's right arm from flailing blindly, having almost been smacked by the crutch gripped loosely in his hand.

His appearance was that of his Secret Service uniform, but looked rather sloppy and rushed.

His goggles were not securely tightened, his vest wasn't completely buttoned and zipped, his pants waist was below the waist level and on an angle, and his left pant leg was severely rolled up due to his cast on his foot, heel and lower leg.

"I said… _let go_!", he yelled before having smacked the flailing crutch into the beaver's cheek, toppling him over and yanking his other arm from nurse. Taking his chance to escape, he 'ran' as fast as his crutch-handling abilities could handle. He was able to make it to the elevator.

'_Sweet. Home free…_!', Geoffrey cheered mentally. However, his heart sank as he saw Doctor Quack emerge from the piece of the hallway leading to the elevators, a frown on his face.

"Geoffrey…You're not doing the _exact opposite_ of what I asked you to do and tried to leave this hospital, are you?", he asked dangerously.

Geoffrey found himself in a verbal doozy. "W-well, y-you see, Doctor, I, uh…" "_Geoffrey…_", the duck trailed warningly. Geoffrey gulped.

"B-but Doctor! My wife and team's out there! If they get hurt in my absence then-!"

The two were interrupted by a loud, bestial roar, coming form the direction of the fight. They could also hear the faint sound of shattered glass beforehand.

"Wh-what was that?", Doctor Quack yelped, having hopped a bit.

"That noise… it sounded like… -gasp-", Geoffrey said as he look out the window overlooking the part of the city viewing entrance to the city. It was small, given the distance, but Geoffrey could make out two – no, _three_ speck of blue.

'_Why is that one mass bigger that the other two?_', Geoffrey thought. '_And why are there __**three**_ _to begin with? Something isn't right… Oh, __**shit**__!_'

Geoffrey's eyes shrunk enough for Doctor Quack to register it. "Something wrong, Geoffrey?", the duck asked.

"There are three small blue blurs… _Where's Minato_?", Geoffrey almost yelled.

"He should be in be-… Oh,_ no_! This is bad…!", Doctor Quack quacked. "There were supposed to be 16 pairs of crutches on every floor, including ones in use. When I did a routine supply and equipment check… one pair of crutches were unaccounted for."

"You don't think…!", Geoffrey croaked. Doctor Quack and Geoffrey – to the best of his ability – ran to the end of the hall, away form the elevator. Sliding his door open, then looked in horror at Minato Arisato's empty bed.

"Oh,… no…", Doctor Quack whispered.

Lacri's un-patched eye shrunk in absolute shock at the sight before him. However, his vice grip of Minato's skull did not loosen, nor did he pay heed to the bluenette.

Sonic the Hedgehog had an eerie, open-mouth smile on his face, his green eyes glowing lime-green orbs with no other detail on them. Swirling about him were shard of light cycling from his feet and left temple, accumulating into a frighteningly large beast levitating a few feet above him, its visage similar to the one that summoned it.

"_I am thou… thou art I… From the sea of your soul, I cometh…_"

The beast was the same blue hue for its large body's fur. That was, except, for its muzzle all the way done to its waist area. It's large and bestial detail-less ruby eyes glowed eerily as is fang-ridden maw lazily hanging open. Its 8 foot tall werewolf-like form hunched over like a gorilla, its clawed hands and arms dangling from its sides. IT looked as if it was staring into the sun.

"Wh-what's happening to Sonic?", Tails yelped, seeing both the creature, and odd face Sonic was making.

"Is _that_…?", Junpei gawked, not believing his eyes. "It …_is!_", Yukari replied, equally shocked.

Lacri's shocked glare only intensified only causing him to tighten his grip on poor Minato's skull.

Minato, barely conscious, could make out vague images. However, his did see what looked like a giant creature floating above what appeared to be Sonic's head.

'_Is that my Evoker in his hand…? Then… does that mean…?_', he though before completely blacking out, the pain from whatever Lacri was doing to him being completely unbearable.

"That's impossible.", Lacri said flatly. The intensity of how he spoke it had caught the attention of those of S.E.E.S. and the Freedom Fighters-Chaotix junction that able to move. "This… _cannot…_ be… happening…! It's… it's not possible…!"

"_I am Haru-Nezumi! Denizen of the Season of Spring!_", the creature roared without moving its mouth, almost like telepathy, raising its arms and tightening its finger joints as if he holding large spheres.

"Haru…", Ken began, his hair bangs bobbing slightly.

"…Nezumi…?", Ray, Charmy and Saffron whispered.

Lacri, at this point was furious. "This is not possible…!", he yelled calmly. "Mobians are _incapable_ of attaining the state required to summon a Persona!", he continued, his right hand still clamped to the poor bluenette's skull as he began to shake vigorously.

"Minato!", Yukari yelped.

"Is that so?", Mitsuru countered. "Then are you saying that what you see before you is a _fallacy_? Is that _not_ a Persona?"

"I need not be criticized by the blood relative of humankind's antichrist!", Lacri screamed.

That statement, for what it was worth, was not anticipated by the last of the Kirijo, though she did not full understand his wording. The others looked at the redheaded girl in confusion.

Lacri grunted loudly and threw Minato aside by a few feet as aimed his own Evoker at his right temple, the large scarf of hair now tossed in midair, revealing to the groups of adolescent creatures the full splendor of his pineapple-sized eyepatch on his right eye, and the full jagged scar from his left cheek to his nose.

"I'll show you all how _I_ deal with anomalies firsthand!", he yelled before firing his Evoker once.

After shards of what appeared to be glass coming out of his left temple and swirled slightly, a shocking turn of events occurred to Sally and NICOLE, from the form the entity that slowly materialized into the pale angel-like creature that attacked NICOLE and Geoffrey last night.

"Oh mah stars…", Bunnie whispered. "By the gods…!", Knuckles croaked as he finished shaking his head from the pain of being dug into the ground.

The angel's pale blond hair, open robe and sashes that covered its eyes and floated in front its bosoms and loins merely wafted in an unreal breeze.

"Grigori! _Vorpal Blade_!", Lacri screamed bloodthirstily. The angelic did not give an auditory response, but merely dove at Sonic and his newfound Persona at an amazing speed, its right arm extended and emitting a slight purple hue.

"No…!", Fuuka cried. "If _that_ attack hits-!"

As Grigori began its swing towards the master-and-servant combination, Sonic merely gazed up and smiled deviously, his green eyes merely showing a black dot, as if possessed.

Pointing the Evoker to his temple, the blue hedgehog yelled a very surprising word. "_Tentrakarm!"_

Lacri's eye shrunk significantly as he realized _exactly_ what was about to happen, and a transparent white energy swirled around Sonic, which shone brightly for a second, then solidified and disappeared.

"T-Tenta_karm_?", Yukari gasped as she tended to the unconscious Minato. "But how did Sonic know such a high-level spell?"

'_High-level spell_…_?_'Tails thought to himself. '_Could it be Sonic's inner Chaos Energy siphoning out somehow?_'

"Wh-what's going to happen to Sonic?", Amy cried fearfully. "Oh no, Miss… Amy, was it?", Mitsuru asked while looking in her direction. Amy nodded 'yes', prompting Mitsuru to continue. "I'm afraid that for our eyepatch-wearing friend here… _he's about to have a taste of his own medicine_."

"Damn iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!", Lacri cried as soon as Grigori's bladed arm struck the barrier encompassing Sonic and Haru-Nezumi. Roaring in rejection, Haru-Nezumi swiped at Grigori's attack harshly, sending the angel back along with several lightning bolts of white energy. All of which were homing on Lacri.

Everyone stared in awe at the spectacle.

"Y-…_yeah_!", Knuckles suddenly yelled, pumping his right fist. "Suck on _that_, you freak! That oughta teach you to mess with us!"

Lacri's expression darkened and grew significantly angrier. "You… _did __**not**_…!", he began, causing Knuckles to rear back and sweat a little. "?"

"_CALL __**ME**_ _A FREEAAK!_", he yelled to the heavens before jumping high, bashing his knuckles together, then slamming his palms together.

As the lightning began to close in on its target, a large translucent bubble surrounded a large space surrounding the priest. The moment the lightning touched the barrier, the lighting still vibrated and shook violently, but was being sucked into the barrier and being broken down into gathering clouds of particles.

"That ability…!", Fuuka claimed. "I recognize it even without my Persona! That's 'Absorb Physical'!"

"Whoa whoa _whoa_, Fuuka! Did you just say '_Absorb_ Physical?'", Yukari asked loudly.

"Would I lie about a power like this? That power is probably the reason why our physical attacks do nothing! In fact, they only _increase_ that man's stamina!"

Realizing this, Ken instinctively charged at the floating priest, Evoker to his right temple.

"Appear!" And so, the trigger was fired. Emerging from the blue aura erupting from the ankles of the youngest S.E.E.S. member, a red, thin, gargantuan robot-like creature comprised of a what was shaped like an upside-down tuning fork with arms comprised of large dark-blue ball joints armored by spinning cages and forearms as thin as toothpicks hanging on a right angle. Its face was akin to a demonic mouth-less mask.

The Mobians who were conscious at the moment gawked in complete astonishment at the manifested Shadow's Goliath-like size; it almost was tall enough to tower over the roofs of the taller buildings, but not quite enough to reach the highest point of the barrier.

"Kala-Nemi!", Ken ordered before jabbing his right pointer at Lacri, who was busy absorbing Sonic's reflected attack.

"_**THUNDER REIGN!**_"

Akihiko looked both surprised and alarmed. "Ken! _Don't!_"", yelled, struggling to regain his footing.

But it was too late. Kala-Nemi flipped its arms up and rose a few feet, and a extremely powerful bolt of surging lightning that hit Lacri spot-on. However, the surge of the blast caught Ken and almost hit Mitsuru, Aegis and Yukari, who were all weak against electricity.

Instinctively, Aegis grabbed Mitsuru and Yukari, who was still healing Minato, by the waists and jumped backwards, away from the surging storm. Tails, Amy, Charmy, Saffron and Ray were able to also get out of the blast's range.

"Whao!", Tails screeched, having pulled Amy by her wrists in the nick of time. "I'm _so _glad he's on _our _side!" "You and me both! But we were almost fast food back there!"

Many mouths were agape at the sight of the elementary school-aged boy's destructive power.

As the smoke cleared, Lacri was revealed to be on one leg, clutching his right shoulder, in which the arm was missing most of its sleeve. Small licks of hair from the tassel-like drape over Lacri's face was singed or curled from the damage.

Ken, however, having been engulfed by his own attack, fell of his knees and palm from the surging neural and physical pain. "That… wasn't good…", he muttered before fully collapsing on the ground.

"Ken-kun!", Yukari squeaked before whipping out her Evoker, intending to heal the 12-year-old. However, her plans were shattered when the priest got back up, and limped angrily towards Ken, his Evoker now in his _left_ hand. The scrunched look on his face was that of an infuriated demon. "Lmittle _shit_! Look at what you've DONE…!", he hissed, venom oozing with every word.

Koromaru instinctively ran towards the assaulting priest, producing the hidden knife in his dog shirt. Catching glimpse of this, Lacro kicked the small white Shiba Inu out of its path, the dog letting loose a cry as he was kicked and hit the ground.

"K-Koro-chan!", Fuuka gasped. "You _monster_!" Junpei screamed, now running full-speed at Lacri, filled with rage.

Lacri turned towards the hate-filled baseball hat-wearing Gekkoukan senior with a look that easily kill a giant. Instinctively ducking, Lacri kicked upward and smashed Junpei in the chin, sending him flying upward and backward onto his rear.

"I don't have time for the likes of you. Begone.", he said, slowly raising his Evoker. However, Junpei beat him to it.

"_Agidyne_!", he shouted, summoning Trismegistus in all of its bird-like armored splendor. Lacri paled considerably as he was struck with the full force of a –dyne level at close range. A spicy meatball rendition no less.

"Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!", Lacri screamed in the full boom of his masculine voice. "Oh shit! Shit_ shit __**SHIT**_!", he roared, jumping of his legs rapidly and attempting put out the flames. Suddenly, Lacri instinctively dove onto the ground and rolled back and forth with ferocity. The efforts squandered the flames on the grassy earth, leaving Lacri cooked raw, with slight singe marks all over his exposed flesh. His hair tassel was in an even bigger mess.

"Damn… you… uuuuuuugh…", Lacri tried to yell before he collapsed on one knee, barely able to remain standing. Lacri was breathing heavily.

At that point, Sonic's eyes returned to normal, began to lose light as his face softened, and fell backwards, dropping Minato's Evoker.

"S-_Sonic_!", Amy cried as she and Tails rushed over to his side.

Mitsuru and Sally began to walk over to the fallen Lacri trying to support his used leg while nursing his other from the burn that hit his upper calf suffered. He looked up, and looked less than pleased. "Oh, _joy_. You two. What do **you **want?"

Sally grimaced from the cold remark in his position, but Mitsuru stepped forward, placing his right hand on Sally's shoulder to keep her from losing her cool. "Don't lose sight. If you do…", the redhead trailed before running her left hand along the long drape of hair slanting over left side of her face. "…Then what's the point of forwarding with a pertinent question?"

Sally let a small breath escape before looking at the fellow team leader. Lacri grunted, yet smirked, his eye closed in jest, then pain as he rested his right shoulder on his left knee, grabbing his left upper arm with his right hand. "Methinks that out dear princess here needs little more… _specification_, bearer of calamity."

Mitsuru had the nerve to smash the fallen priest's face in with her high heel but her curiosity piqued at that precise moment.

"That's the second time you called me something like that. What _does_ that mean?", asked Mitsuru, her ferocity now being invaded by a slight curiosity.

"…No comment.", Lacri replied coldly. "!", Mitsuru expressed in surprise from the sheer chill of his words. She started to feel as if her own chilly personality was being thrown back at her like a surprise curveball.

"You are the one who single-handedly broke out the Iron Queen out of jail, assaulted 13 of our Secret Service men – one of which was a close friend of ours – sabotaged our security network headed by NICOLE, and endangered the world once again by bringing her to God-knows-where. I'll ask you once; answer truthfully, and we'll go easy on you. _Where is the Iron Queen_?", Sally asked authoritatively.

Sonic, who had stopped being in his trance and had snapped out of it, heard the whole thing and saw something rather odd: Lacri's face contorting. The skin around his left eye and mouth – especially near the portion-sized scar from his cheek to his nose – began to scrunch up and his teeth bared fangs. "S-Sal! Be careful!" "Huh?", Sally and Mitsuru gawked before seeing that, to everyone's shock, he shot straight up, a look of pure rage in his face.

"Go _easy on me…? __**Go **__**EASY**__** on me?**_ How DARE you address me as some kind of sack of shit!", he roared, swinging a strong kick at Sally and Mitsuru, knocking them backwards.

Enraged, Sonic darted right at the brunette, screaming "SAAAAAAAAL!"

Unfortunately, Lacri saw his coming and grabbed Sonic by the skull. Sonic, in shock witnessed Lacri rear his head back and smash skulls with him.

To everyone's horror, as he dropped Sonic to the ground, Lacri smashed his right foot into the azure hedgehog's body and watched as it bounced along the ground thrice before stopping.

"I've had _**enough**_ of your bullshit for one day, _mouse_! Now do us all a favor and _**STAY THE **__**FUCK**__** DOWN**_!", Lacri roared like a lion threatening to come in for the kill.

Amy and Tails, who had ran up to Sonic, stopped in their tracks at the raging human.

"You Mobians think you're SO _FUCKING GREAT_, don't you? That just because Mobians populate most of the Earth – _**EARTH!**_ – that you think that it's all just gonna 'come together' for you scum-suckers? Do you have ANY IDEA how humans and those mutated Overlanders feel when they had to suffer through scorn and hate and constant danger? I say… _NAY!_ You filthy animalistic scum-suckers do not even _understand_ the meaning of suffering **in the LEAST!**"

"How could you say that? Do you have any idea what this world has been through under Eggman's tyranny? Against both Mobians _and _humans and Overlanders?", Amy roared.

"That's the whining of a selfish bitch in every sense of the word! You people – Freedom Fighters, their affiliates, the Kingdom of Acorn, its citizens - are the WORST kind of criminals I've ever seen! Bitching and moaning about how the world can't be like one mile of viruses-infested land of radioactively-powered garbage! Thinking that because they are perfect the feel they have no need in understanding what the _other _side goes through! Not just other allies of _yours_, but your _enemies!_ Have you ever considered the thoughts and feelings of those who are _forced_ into being evil! Oh! So just because a person has no choice, you – by YOUR OWN principles – must hate their existences! Take Scourge! Take Fiona Fox! Take the Dark Legion! **Hell**! Take people like _**Snively**_ and _**Lightning Lynx**_! Those are two lives whom all you FUCKING DEMON SHITHEADS _forever destroyed!_"

While every Mobian around them looked either shocked, appalled or confused, Sally's and Sonic's expression significantly darkened.

"Snively and Lightning… huh? I… guess I just overlooked them…", Sonic said softly, causing Amy and Tails to look confused at him. "What do you mean, Sonic? You stopped the Iron Queen!"

"Yeah, but… other people paid the price for what I did… Snively apparently fell in love with her… and Lightning… he was overjoyed to be with his clan again. In my selfish quest for justice, I tore them away from that and personally threw them back in the villain corner… _I'm the worst_…"

The various members of the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix were stunned to here such a thing from someone as straightforward-righteous as Sonic.

"Hold on…!", Sally barked. "How'd you even know about those? And back to my question, more importantly…", Sally continued as he sunk into a fighting stance, while choosing her words carefully. "Are you saying that the Iron Queen… _suffered_?"

"More than your kind can possibly understand. Raised innocently in the art of Magitek, her clan captured and slaughtered while forced to bear witness, being deemed too young to be killed, running around the world in exile, being man-hunted by Mobians – which, if memory serves, happened to Sonic's _father _and _uncle_…"

That statement seemed to put a large thorn in his chest. "Y-you're kidding…!"

Lacri turned slowly, frowning, towards the azure Mobian being cradled by the pink hedgehog and orange fox beside him. A sickening scowl was on his face.

"Oh, but it's true. To think that one scared woman would be assaulted by males of the same family in 15 years… If she ever found out about your father being a robot… hm hm hm hm…", he trailed menacingly.

"It was all _your_ fault, Sonic the motherfucking Hedgehog. You _broke _her. Just like you had Eggman.", Lacri said before his mouth and eye twisted in a dark sneer. "Who would've thought that the 'Hero of Mobius'… was really a heartless monster who only cares about those who share his conceited views on this unwillingly-terraformed mudball?", he said with venom oozing with every word.

"**SHUT UP!**"

New Mobotropolis, Mobius, August 3, 3237, 10: 48 Hours

A dark cloud loomed over the Freedom Fighters, Chaotix and S.E.E.S.

'_This isn't good…! He's ripping away at their morale like old wallpaper…! If this keeps up…!_', Yukari thought to herself fearfully in thought of the Mobians. However, her number one priority was to heal Minato, Ken and Akihiko's wounds, while Aegis stood as a guard.

"Yukari-san, don't you think we should try gathering the other Freedom Fighters who are injured and heal them all at once? I mean, Isis knows Mediaranhan, right?"

Yukari nodded 'no'. "I see what you're thinking, and it's really in our total best interest, but we can't risk getting them caught by that priest dude – God, I'm talking like _Stupei_ now… - being brought over here, nor can we risk exposing Minato; he's already in fatal condition coming here. And on top of that, your arms aren't loaded, leaving us both unarmed and unprotected."

"We have our Personas. I mean, certainly Athena and Isis alone will be tough, but it's better than nothing." "True, but we're out of practice. And it's hard to believe we can actually use our Persona's powers outside the Dark Hour, but…"

"But…?", Aegis turned in confusion. "But… _it's maintaining my magic_." Aegis' eyes sank slightly. "I see… that _is_ true…"

"I feel bad that I can't help them out, but we're pinned down."

Then two words caught them by surprise.

"**SHUT UP!**"

* * *

New Mobotropolis, Mobius, August 3, 3237, 10: 49 Hours

* * *

A small trail of light shot from Lacri's side and stabbed him in the shoulder. Realizing this, Lacri grunted loudly and angrily ripped out was appeared to be a thick dart; that of which had a timer on it. Realizing it was a bomb, Lacri glared angrily as he crushed it with his bloodied hand before swiftly darting his eyes to the source of the arrow.

Geoffrey St. John; fully dressed in his high-tech green uniform, a thick cast over his left leg, and supported by crutches and Doctor Quack shouldering his left arm. His raised right arm revealed his crossbow, albeit unloaded.

The look in his eye seethed with anger. But not the anger people like Sonic and Sally had seen. It seemed… different.

"Geoffrey…", Sally marveled before regaining his senses. "I-I mean _Geoffrey_! What in the heck are you **doing**? Your leg…!"

Sally was hushed by Geoffrey raising his gloved left hand and signaled her to stop. He did not take his eyes off the eyepatch-wearing brunette.

"I heard it. I heard it all. Everything that came out of your God-forsaken mouth. True, humankind and Overlanders have been persecuted for centuries and true, our kind may caused great suffering. _But_! That does _excuse _you for the terrible crimes _you _committed."

Lacri raised his brow for a split second, before realizing exactly what he means. "I see…"

Geoffrey, to his credit, did not smirk and acted pompous, much to Sonic's and Sally admiration, but remained in an angry frown. "Breaking and entering, assisted criminal escape, multiple battery accounts – myself _and_ my wife included…", he said before quickly glancing at the mending Hershey, who smiled slightly.

"But the most damning of all… is the cruel and unusual battery of all who lay around us. In other words…", he trailed before his expression severely darkened and his eyes only displayed blue eyes and black dots.

"_**You are going DOWN, punk!**_", the geared-up skunk yelled, eyes full of conviction.

'_The look in his eye…_', Mitsuru analyzed. However, he train of thought was interrupted by Lacri chuckling, which then erupted into cold laughter as he closed his eye and reared his head back.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! _Really_, now? I'm going 'down'? That's the BEST you can come up with? Oh _please_, Geoffrey St. John; give me _some _credit here!"

Geoffrey was taken aback by his statement, but tried not to arch back too far, or he'd fall over. His eyes did not change under his blue visor. "'_Credit_…? What the hell're you even _talking _about?"

Lacri's expression sobered. He looked flat-faced. "Think for a second. Out of all the individuals I had attacked, none of them are in any mortal danger. Yes, that includes you and especially Minato Arisato over there. You see… my orders were to apprehend him in top condition. My master would be _furious_ if he was in any lesser state."

Yukari was angered by this. "What's so important about Minato that you had to treat these poor people as punching bags?", she yelled. She was met with a cold, angry stare from the young flat-topped, scar-sporting male that stopped her dead in the water.

"Yukari Takeba.", he replied flatly. "And the rest of S.E.E.S." he addressed as Koromaru staggered over to Fuuka.

"**I am severely disappointed in all of you**. You have failed my test.", he said as if the weight of the world was falling upon them.

This caught everyone by surprise. "Wh-what did he say?", Mighty gawked. Vector and Knuckles were in apparent agreement.

"You eight – nine including _him_…", he worded before Akihiko, Mitsuru and Ken were met with a stab to the chest emotionally. "Have known Minato Arisato's incredible power firsthand. How he has mastery of all the Arcana. And yet you do not see it? Shame on all of you!", he chided, the force of which almost made Sonic and Geoffrey stumble over.

"That boy… is the last piece to the puzzle… the puzzle of freeing this world from Mobian oppression! The Persona '_Thanatos_'!"

A severe wave of shock over swept the group. "What? _Thanatos_?", Junpei gaped. Koromaru instantly drooped his ears and whined.

"Looks like the poor pup figured it out faster that you did. What a smart pock. But it's later, Koro-chan."

Koromaru responded with angrily barking twice and growled hard. Lacri merely scoffed.

"Koromaru-san says that 'Thanatos is the last remaining remnant of Nyx'. So, is _Nyx_ what you're after?", Aegis yelled.

Lacri grinned. "If only you understood the full truth."

"Whatever truth that comes out of _your_ mouth…", Geoffrey roared, the look of conviction still in his eye. "Is nothing but a prophetic string of demented lies and corrupted truths! And now you claim to have the 'key' to a global racial genocide? I think I speak for all of us when I say… '_**YOU MOOONSTEEEEER!**_", the suited skunk screamed, tears running down his face.

Lacri looked like he had had it. "That does it! _You're dead_! **ALL OF YOU**!", he yelled furiously before whipping out his Evoker with his damaged and shooting his temple successfully in mid-swing.

After the residual blue fire and shattered glass-effect subsided, the pale Grigori floated and placed its feet on what seemed to be an invisible wall, positioning its arms as if diving into a pool.

"Slaughter this fuck! _**Brave Blaaaaaade!**_", Lacri screamed. After its command, Grigori released a soft moan before jumping off the 'wall' at an alarming speed. Geoffrey tensed, and he and Doctor Quack braced for impact.

Mitsuru felt a strong spark in her head and, in quick instinct, whipped out her Evoker.

"St. John! _**CATCH!**_", she yelled as she threw her Evoker at an impressive speed like a baseball.

Instinctively, Geoffrey reached out with his right arm, and caught the gun oddly in his hand. With only a moment's pause, Geoffrey knew exactly what to do. His eyes glowed a bright blue beneath his sea-blue visor and pointed the pistol at his temple. "Doctor!"

"Y-yes…?", Doctor Quack asked loudly, yet meekly. "Get ready to get out dodge when I pull the trigger." "Wh-_what_? What are you…?" "JUST **_DO IT_**!", The white-haired black skunk yelled.

Doctor Quack nodded and quickly ran as fast as his elderly body supported by a cane could run.

Geoffrey closed his eyes slowly, as if time around him slowed dramatically. Grigori's charge seemed to edge by mere millimeters as fractions of time progressed.

'_Go on~…_' a strangely soothing boyish voice cheered, the slight visage of a young human male with a gaping smile. The only details he could make out were fringes of short dark blue hair on the cheeks and a beauty mark on the bottom-left corner of his left eye. His smile felt off, Geoffrey thought, was seemed friendly. He knew what he had to do.

Geoffrey's eyes shot open in a millisecond, his eyes being smaller and the skin of his outer eyes scrunching slightly.

"_**PERSONAAAAA!**_"

BANG! A shot was fired and the sound of glass filled the meadow nearing New Mobotropolis' entrance.

* * *

New Mobotropolis, Mobius, August 3, 3237, 10: 55 Hours

* * *

A lone figure stood atop a large hill about half a mile away from the fight. Yet, it could see the battle clearly, and the events that are transpiring.

"…This isn't good. I can't just let him get into a bigger mess."

And with that, the tall figure leant toward the fight and disappeared in a gust of wind.

* * *

New Mobotropolis, Mobius, August 3, 3237, 10: 56 Hours

* * *

Lacri looked in absolute shock. Not once, but _twice_, a Mobian has done what should have been considered impossible for their race – attain a Persona.

Yet here Geoffrey was, in the awakening stage, with a expression similar to Sonic's not too long ago.

Crystalline shard of bluish glass swirled around the Mobian skunk and a tall humanoid figure began to shape.

It appeared as thrice Geoffrey's – about nine feet tall -, sporting pale bluish-tan skin and dull blue eyes with white sclera. It had a mop of split-ended blond hair, with a large part over its left eye, and a tuft of hair covering its right eyebrow. It wore a white lab coat-like outfit, unbuttoned, with a pale yellow shirt underneath it, jeans, and three belts crisscrossing each other just underneath the waist. There was a tattoo of a neon-blue cross under its left eye, and a broken ring-like tattoo around his neck, with a gaping dot in between where it broke, at the left side of its neck.

It appeared to have melting make-up under its eyes, and a small, line of purple lipstick on its bottom lip. It carried what appeared to be a ebony coffin strapped to its back by X-ing chains. Its posture was that of a feeble man sporting an insane grin.

"_I am thou… thou art I_.", it mouthed slightly, although it talked more telepathically. "_From the sea of thy soul, I cometh._"

It instinctively grabbed Grigori's incoming form by the hands in his left hand, and its waist in its right. The dead voice indicated that the Persona was indeed male.

"_I am Faust, madman of demonic contracts! Let us stand as one!_", it roared a male screaming voice without even moving its mouth.

Geoffrey was taken aback. "I… summoned…", he trailed before new words began to form in his head. Shaking it off, he yelled "Faust! _Deathbound_!"

Obeying, Faust jumped into the air, Grigori in tow, and slammed the angelic Persona into the ground, a black fog emerging from that spot.

Lacri instantly coughed up a large gob of blood. Wincing, he dropped to his knees and placed his palms on the ground, coughing.

"This is our chance! Let's get 'im!", Julie-Su yelled. Everyone who had recovered agreed and attempted to charge Lacri.

However, their attacks were fruitless, as a large barrier of torrential wind formed a good 10 feet diameter around Lacri, in which everyone slammed into and was shot back a good distance, all suffering minor cuts around their clothing, weapons and even skin.

"What in the…?", Bunnie gaped, before gasping at what they saw.

"_Sacre Bleu_…!", Antoine gasped.

Standing there was a tall, maybe 6'4 woman wearing a purple geisha-like dress. There was a large space of open skin beginning at her neck, and ending sideways halfway to her shoulders and downward halfway down her rather _large_ breasts. The outline of the fabric was sewn with a thick pink lace. There was an image of a big yellow flower on both sleeves shedding their petals at shoulder height on the long sleeves. The gown was secured by a large brown geisha sash striped with black lines and a oversized bow made of pale blue silk in the back. The bow seemed to be holding a large metallic fan, folded and bent to the right, showed her to be right handed.

Her light brown hair was neck length, but there was more hair in the front. Three bangs of shiny brunette hair arched right from the part over her right eye and ten bangs lay in a row covering the left side of her face. The back of her hair looked like the spines of a pineapple being flattened, which was secured by two golden hair rods adorned with golden skulls. There was a tattoo of a rose shedding its petals and leaves at the center on her right cheek and under-eye area. There was also a thin line of rose lipstick on both of her skinny lips. Opening her visible eye, it revealed to be a stunning metallic blue.

Although nothing was said, all Mobians and S.E.E.S. members had to agree; she was absolutely beautiful in every sense of the word.

Lacri was absolutely shocked. His eye shrunk and a ever so slight blush appeared on his cheeks "M-Mistress… Kraud…!"

Even her young, yet stern voice won silent praise by Mitsuru, who actually began to see elements of herself in her. "Lacri.", she spoke softly.

What she did next was not expected by anyone. She knelt down and slapped him on the cheek. Hard.

"Wh-_wha?_", Junpei and Akihiko gaped. "Did she just…?", Vector gasped.

Lacri slowly touched the slap mark, knowing what came next.

"Do you have _any_ idea how much you worried me? If you were captured or worse, we would be in a world of trouble, you know that?", she scolded.

Lacri looked down and frowned. "I'm… sorry…" Kraud sighed, but let it slide. She got back on two feet, the barrier of wind still swirling about, her visible eye showing scorn in Sonic's, Sally's, Geoffrey's, Doctor Quack's, Fuuka's and Mitsuru's direction.

"Where is the Iron Queen?", Sally asked strongly. Kraud merely placed her left hand into the crevice of her breasts and, to everyone's surprise, extracted a geisha fan. Pretending to not even notice the squirrel-chipmunk hybrid Mobian, she spread the fan and waved it gently against her face.

"Answer me!", Sally yelled before attempting to march straight up to her, only for Mitsuru to grab her by the wrist, much to the blue-eyed girl' s surprise. Looking back, Sally saw that Mitsuru's expression clearly read 'No.'

Stopping her wrist's movement, she caught everyone's attention by snapping the fan shut, and glared darkly at Sally.

"She's in good hands, if that's what you're asking.", she said flatly.

Sally's expression darkened. "That's _not_ the answer I'm looking for!", she yelled threateningly.

Kraud sighed again from within the barrier. "Well, we can see that Mobians _clearly_ carry humankind's stubbornness…", she mumbled.

Sally and Mitsuru were both offended this time. "What was that?", Sally barked. She was swiftly met with a cold gaze, which had silenced the brown and chestnut-furred girl.

"There's no way I could tell you now… now that Regina Ferrum has entered the final stage."

"!", Lacri expressed while eying his partner, that of which the group seeing the two's fronts bared witness to. "The _final_ stage…? That fast?"

Sonic did not like the sound of that. '_**Awakening**_…? _**Final stage**_…? _Why do I have the feeling that ol' Monkey Fuzz is gonna flip when he hears that…_?'

"She is in a location that is inaccessible to you lot. Our business is hereby concluded."

The barrier of wind began to then spin faster and lifted off the ground, much to the vast members of different groups present's bafflement.

"Oh, and… I'm afraid that the level of power from your friends…", she trailed while closing her eyes and re-opening them. "…NICOLE and Fuuka Yamagishi… are too low to follow me. Farewell, ladies and gentlemen. Pray… that you _never_ cross Kraud Nein's path again."

"!", Fuuka gasped. "I was just barely able to analyze her power! It's… it's almost identical to mine! Maybe even more powerful!"

"What did you say…?", Mitsuru gasped. "Oh, _man_! If she's better at scanning things than Fuuka-tan, then…!", Junpei gaped.

"Of course. After all, little madam Fuuka… ", Kraud trailed as the wind sphere's bottom side began to swirl viciously. "We have the same power… and the same Arcana."

"Stop!", Geoffrey yelled before stumbling on his crutches and falling on his rump.

""Geoffrey!", Hershey called out vainly in her condition.

And in a violent burst of wind, the two humans disappeared, leaving the Freedom Fighters, Chaotix, Secret Service, and S.E.E.S. to pick up the pieces.

* * *

High above the ground level, Mobius, August 3, 3237, 11:08 Hours

* * *

Throughout the long, yet neck-breaking speed-ride above the sky in a green ball of surging wind, neither Lacri or Kraud spoke. They were giving time for Lacri's wounds to close up after Kraud cast a 'Diaranhan' spell on the young priest, who lay flat on the ground on a bed of wind.

"You know… we're gonna have to explain this to our master…", Lacri said softly, disheartened by his loss, and his utter humiliation. He fingered the cross-shaped Evoker in hand softly. "Don't you worry. Our master is very forgiving. And since you did not foresee any Mobian awakening to a Persona, I highly doubt he will show anger over that."

Lacri grinned, but then frowned. "That's not what I meant though…" "Hm? What _do_ you mean, then?", the brunette women asked, turning her head, perplexed.

"…We left _him_ behind…" "…!", Kraud gasped enough to show a large theatric placing a hand in front of her mouth. "Oh, _shit_, you're right! I can't that I completely overlooked that! I'm our group' sensor, and…!", she gritted as she pinched her nose hard with two rose-colored-fingernail slim fingers.

"Calm down, Kraud!", Lacri barked lightly, surprising them both by not saying an honorific. "He'll be sore at us, but he still can handle himself. Even though his hatred of Mobians runs deep… it clouds his judgment immensely."

"I know…_but_…!", Kraud trailed. "…there is a way for the young one's escape to succeed."

She looked forward. "Now, I'm not one for pop culture, but… with the ultimate opportunity to break him out being in 2 days… we couldn't ask for a better cover."

Lacri looked up at the tall geisha. "Mistress Kraud… you _do_ realize the implications of revealing one of our aces in the hole so early right? And think about it… what if it fails? The New Mobotropolis leg of the Mobius World Tour is heavily guarded and monitored. The only conceivable way those two could pull it off is-!" "_I __**know**_."

Lacri was taken back by the statement. "But…", Kraud trailed. "What if I told you there was another way out of this mess? One that neither of them have to expose themselves?"

Lacri paused, and laid his head down. He sported a small, yet devious grin. "…I'm listening…"

* * *

?, Mobius, August 3, 3237, ?:? Hours

* * *

The chained boy sighed. He had been securely shackled at the arms, legs and neck with these strange magic bonds that prevent him from disappearing. He sat against the wall in a barely lit room lit with blue-flamed candles.

It was really boring for him. Someone visits him in regular intervals to see if anything has changed. Sometimes, they bring him food – a chunky soup, a piece of bread and a large glass of water.

Although the bread was soft and the soup had a nice aroma and taste to it, he was never really hungry. A person of his existence had no necessity to eat. The child was sometimes force-fed his food like a small child.

Other than that he was always alone. Perhaps this is what Minato felt as the Great Seal?

Pharos merely sighs to himself. "Minato… and all of your friends… please… time is running out."

* * *

Next Time: Holy Days, No Magic or Melody

* * *

I post "New World's Order" artwork and other goodies on my deviantART account. It's at: ... Please visit~! And a review would be nice!


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